Crimson Velvet
by Ethereal Wanderer
Summary: Lovey dovey, naughty romance story of Law x OC. It follows the original plot line, with the OC woven in it, but most of it will take place during the 2 year time skip. M!
1. Chapter 1

I had this story posted a while ago, but the OC didn't turn out to be what I planned so I took the story down.

I had a brilliant spark of inspiration for a new OC :)) so I rewrote the few chapters I already had and this fanfiction happened.

Umm... it will probably have somewhere around 20 chapters, I guess. I'll try to post at least once a week :D

Ah, this is gonna be **M!**... eventually... You have been warned.

 **Hope you enjoy this and spare a moment to tell e what you think! *blush***

 _Sole Disclaimer 'cause I see one everywhere: I only own my OC an some plot._

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"I want the part of you that you refuse to give."

\- Ellen Hopkins

* * *

Theresa Frey was, the least to say, an interesting woman. A creature of deception and few words, no one really knew what she looked like. Her prey didn't know it was being hunted until it was too late, _if_ they even realized at all. She was neither pirate, nor marine. She was a mercenary, feared and hated by all. Shrouded in mystery, she was as deadly as they came.

Rumors spoke of a vicious woman with no soul. She had as many cruel names - Howling Mist, Breaker of men, Great Depression, Soulsnatcher- as she had profiles and descriptions – from blonde to brunette, from short hair to long, light colored eyes to dark, short to tall. She was said to come at night, in the cover of darkness and kill her victims with a single bullet.

There were two things that told this woman apart from any other. The first were her gloves. It was said she had never been spotted with her hands bare. More rumors suggested she had been involved in some sort of accident that left her skin scarred. The gloves were supposed to be a means to cover the potential tell that could give away identity. The second was her pet, a demonic baby-eating beast, said to kill you with only its stare. Hear its howls and you were doomed. If it caught your scent, no place was safe for you or your loved ones.

She traveled the seas in her haunted ship, a majestic black-sailed barquentine. If you ever crossed paths with it, you could only hope it would pass you by. There was no nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.

That apparently didn't stop people from hiring her for different jobs. She was considered one of the most efficient and discrete assassins. She was the one you hired if you wanted things done neatly and fast. For a substantial price, of course. She was also rumored to be the richest woman alive.

All of it seemed improbable now that the woman was standing on his submarine. The Heart Pirates reached surface for air less than 5 minutes before a dark shadow docked near their yellow vessel. A young woman, cladded in blue overalls and a white shirt, dashed from her small brigantine and landed gracefully on the railing. Her clothes were dirty, stained with what Law thought could be Vaseline on the knees of her pants and on the helm of her shirt. She did not inspire immeasurable wealth, thought she did look like she could wield a wrench and a screwdriver. Though her demeanor was gloomy, she was far from being the spawn of the devil. The most terrifying thing about her was her hair: blonde, shaved on the sides, the rest styled in a rather messy Mohawk. With a bored expression and mismatched gloves peeking from under her sleeves, Law doubted she could kill anyone. Experience told him not to judge a book by its covers. No matter how plain the cover was.

"Trafalgar Law." Her voice was deep and strong, her confidence unwavering. Her sharp black eyes landed on him and she stepped down from the railing and circled him. Of all his crew, only his navigator was outside with him. Bepo came close to him and entered a fighting stance, but the woman was unphased.

"The Widowmaker. What brings you here?" No emotion on her young face. Law thought she couldn't be more than twenty.

"Your medical expertise led me here, Surgeon of Death."

"Oh?" This peeked the captain's interest. She needed him. "What exactly do you need?" Her eyes turned into a straight line as she analyzed his intentions. A few seconds later she turned to the mist shrouded ship and nodded her head once.

The creature that jumped on his submarine was worthy of its reputation, assuring Law once again that the woman before him was indeed the feared mercenary. Pitch black, the feline's feral yellow eyes made his navigator shiver. It would have been an incredibly fearsome creature, if not for the young boy riding on its back. His little hands clutched the dark fur on the animal, his cheeks flushed with fever.

"Can you cure him?" It looked like nothing more than a common cold, but Law guessed the infamous mercenary wouldn't be here if the boy could be cured with a trip to the apothecary. He stepped closer and noticed the silvery spots on his skin. Mixed with his high fever and self inflicted scratch marks on his wrists, the kid was suffering from Silver Stroke Malady. It was extremely rare, Law himself never seeing any other carrier of the disease. Early stages were characterized with hallucinations and fever and ended with a complete petrifaction of the blood. That meant a slow and painful death.

"Where did he catch such a nasty sickness?" One could only be afflicted with the specific malady directly from the spines of a Moon Lily. Extremely rare and ever pretentious plant. But then again, whoever hired her must have had a lot of funds.

" _Can you heal him?_ It's a Yes or No question?" The woman was getting on his nerves. He should just tell her no and get rid of her from his ship. His pride as a doctor made him tell her otherwise.

"Yes."

"Name the price and it shall be yours." Cocky brat. Law should teach her lesson. She should choose her words more wisely.

"Anything I desire?" She carefully calculated his words, eyes darting to the young boy atop her beast.

"Anything humanly possible." Law thought of about a hundred things he could ask of her, to humiliate the woman and put an end to her arrogance. But first, the boy.

"Bring him to the infirmary." He turned and didn't wait for her to follow. When he turned she was hot on his heels, the boy cradled to her chest. He opened the door to his favorite room and waited for the woman to lay the child on the bed. Placing his instruments on the table besides the bed, he noticed she was not leaving so he pointed towards the door.

"I don't need any assistance." She eyed him coldly but left the room. Law heard her slide down the outside wall. Rather than being so distressed, Law thought she was making sure he was aware of her presence there - a silent threat if anything were to happen to the boy.

The truth was he didn't need any utensils to cure the kid. He placed his hand above him and created a small room, big enough to contain the child's body. His illness was caused by the small spine that entered his blood flow. Sensing around the small form, Law found the intruding element and took it out with ease. The silvery spine landed on the metal plate he had prepared. Law then gave the kid pills for the fever and some vitamins.

He took a seat by the bed and toughed of what to ask of the woman. He wanted something she was not willing to give. _Her body?_ No, if she was anything like the rumors suggested she was beyond such petty things. How many of her male victims had she seduced first before murdering them, he wondered. _Her servitude?_ Now that was something he could use. But seeing as she served rich people for money, he doubted she would mind much. Who knew how much she was being paid for curing the kid?

The kid! He might have answers to a question or two. The fever had him out cold when the woman placed him on the bed, but now it was time to wake him. One quick injection later, the boy gasped and slightly jumped on the bed, fully awake.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Auntie said I shouldn't talk to anyone." Auntie? So a woman was the buyer?

"How much is your aunt paying the scary looking woman?" Law tried to be nice, but children were not really his thing. The boy looked confused and hugged his knees. Law sighed. It was getting him nowhere. He took back his seat and stared at the kid. Tears were forming in his eyes. Children, so annoying!

Law was thinking of asking the woman to give up her mercenary status until she helped him defeat Joker. There was no need to place his crew in danger if he could use a deadly assassin almost for free. Law was sorting out the loopholes she could use to escape him, when a howl shook through the submarine walls. He was expecting the kid to tremble in fear, but the boy just got up and headed toward the door. Before opening it, his innocent face turned towards Law.

"Mister, please don't hurt auntie and Nori." With that he dashed out the infirmary leaving Law a little more than confused. He walked back outside and found several members of the crew surrounding the woman and her pet. She had a handgun in her right hand, the other one petting the growling beast at her side. The animal easily reached past her waist and Law was sure she could ride it if she ever needed to. The young boy was latched to one of her legs, his face buried in the fabric of her overalls. He was sobbing quietly. The woman examined the kid and pinned Law with her eyes, while her hand ruffled the kid' hair gently.

"What is your price, pirate?" It was then he noticed the color of her eyes. They were not black as he originally thought, but a warm, muddy brown. Had they always been that hue?Has she somehow changed them? Devil Fruit?

Bepo was explaining to the crew what was happening as their captain stared the woman in the eyes. It was clear he had miscalculated a few things, the most important one being that the rumors were miles away from the truth. She seemed to be protective of the boy, and Law doubted it had anything to do with reward money. He wanted answers but even more, he wanted all the help he could get in his upcoming war with Joker.

"How can I reach you, woman?" Her eyes squinted in realization of what he was saying.

"I don't do debts."

"And I don't need anything right now." He said matter-of-factly, hoping to infuriate her with his trademark smirk. If he was pushing on her nerves, Law had no way of knowing. Except from her scrutinizing glare, she wore a perfectly bored expression.

"Tch." A woman of few words indeed, at least that part was true. She fished a Transponder Snail from a low-hanging pocket on the left leg of her pants and threw it to Law. "Call when you think of anything." With that she holstered her gun at her back and kneed besides the kid, giving him a final check up.

"I'm sorry, auntie."

"Shh, I told you I would find a way to cure you, didn't I, kid?" The Captain's heart stopped for the briefest moment. Flashes of Corazon telling Law he won't let him die flashed before the pirate captain's eyes. He knew the woman had nothing in common to the man he owed his life to, but his interest in her was growing by the minute. He couldn't stop himself from asking more.

"Tell me one thing, what is the boy to you?" She placed the kid on the back of the black-furred beast and the animal jumped on her two-masted ship. A phantom of a smile crossed her face.

"Is that your price, Supernova?" Did the blasted woman know every title he held? He was curious, but not stupid as to charge her with so little, even if his part in curing the boy had been more than easy.

"Nice try."

"Then I owe you no reply." Her answer was curt. She jumped on the rail but stopped to face him one last time. "Thank you." And just as she came, the mysterious woman boarded her ship and left. Law saw from the corner of his eyes the crew relaxing around him as the black sails of her vessel got further away from them. He looked at the Transponder Snail in his hand and noticed nothing distinct about it. Who was Theresa Frey really? A cold blooded killer without a face? A carrying and rather enchanting young woman? As they went inside the submarine, Law made a mental note to find out as much as he could about the woman before collecting his reward.

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I'll probably post the next chapter tomorrow since I already have it...

*Hugs*


	2. Chapter 2

This one follows Thesa. That's gonna be the usual order I think: one chapter Law, one chapter Thesa.

Anyways, can anyone guess what she is?

 **Hope you enjoy!** _*hugs*_

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"I live inside the shadows,

For there's comfort out of sight.

I fear you'll see right through me,

If you hold me to the light."

\- Erin Hanson

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It was incredible what the lack of information and a vivid imagination could give birth to. Thesa pushed the sunglasses up her nose and continued reading the newspaper trough the dark lenses. Again, some dozen unsolved murders were pinned on the unholy Soul Sucking Witch and her demonic familiar. The young woman sighed, people really had nothing better to do than invent scary bed time stories about her? How did these rumors spread anyway? Did each island have its own version of a truth that they twisted to mirror their own fears?

Nori must have felt her distress and rubbed her big head against the woman's leg. Off the entire canard she had heard over the years, the stories about her panther were both the most ridiculous _and_ accurate. The feline didn't have a bad bone in her body, only becoming defensive when Thesa or someone close to them was in danger, but she could make ice-cold fear spread through your marrow with one single howl. She had found the animal a long time ago, when she was still a cub, and they've been inseparable ever since. Practically growing together, they were like sisters, and although the cat couldn't speak, she was highly intelligent. Or maybe it was some kind of extra sense she possessed, a sort of power only particular animals could develop. Nori watched her with sharp eyes and Thesa couldn't help but wonder what was going on in the panther's heard. But then again, the young mercenary had a hard time understanding the reasoning of her own species. There was no point in even trying to figure out the thoughts of a giant cat.

Turning back to the newspaper, she glared at the page dedicated entirely to the feared devilish mercenary. One of the pictures depicted a terrifying woman dressed from head to toe in black. Another was of an old hag, seemingly powerless, if not in need of help. Below was a woman with bright orange hair, plated neatly in a long braid and casually wearing short pants and a green t-shirt. The last one was of an angelic looking girl in white, with long golden hair and innocent blue eyes. There was a debate on which photo was accurate, if either was. Thesa snorted.

If only they knew… Would they still think her so horrid? Would bored people of some far off land still name her after nightmares? Or would they find something worse, something befitting her condition? Some awful _thing -_ not entirely human. Nori purred loudly, a thing she did to get Thesa's attention. She scratched the animal behind its ears.

"I'm alright, Nori." And she was. That day. But there were times when she feared she was as evil as the gossip made her. Moments when she saw herself as a cold blooded monster still.

A beautiful young waitress brought her the lemonade she ordered, eyeing Nori suspiciously. The feline paid her no heed, like she did with almost everyone. As Thesa liked to joke, some people were not worth being acknowledged by Nori. The cat sure had standards. She tipped the waitress, who seemed to relax when Thesa flashed her a warm smile. She sucked on the yellow straw in her lemonade and examined her surroundings trough her black sunglasses.

Sabaody Archipelago was one of Thesa's lest favorite places for several reasons. There were too many people, it was noisy and tiring. But above all else, Celestial Dragons lurked around. _Celestial Dragons_ , the title made her laugh. It was as accurate as some of the titles given to her. She despised people who thought they were somehow superior to others and the so called 'pure bloods' were the most ridiculous form of snobbery and hypocrisy possible. The last time she was on the archipelago she had to muster all her self-restraint not to kill one of the pompous bastards. It would have been so easy, the trigger almost begged to be pulled. By the time an Admiral would have showed up the damage would have been done and Thesa long gone. She feared for the safety of the citizens though. It was true they would have never caught her, but innocent lives would have paid for the death of a Celestial Dragona one way or another.

She rubbed her forehead and tipped her classy red sunhat a little, for a more stylish effect. She was pretty pleased with her current outfit. The red velvet dress was one of the favorite results of her past shopping spree. It was perfect: it covered her arms, it was long enough, just above her knees and it had a generous neck line. Paired with elegant black gloves and knee high boots, she was revealing exactly the skin she wanted – her face, a little chest, a glimpse of her thighs - all the while managing to look appealing to the eye.

Her hair was a waterfall of dark brown curls. She thought about making them mahogany-black too, but decided to add more color, give the look a natural appeal. She opted for steel grey eyes. The finishing touch was a small beauty mark above her lips. Before leaving her ship she thought of applying some make-up, to change her features as she usually did, but sun glasses seemed just as effective.

All in all, it was her number one disguise so far.

All that work, just to kill a small nobody. It was kind of sad. Thesa had half a mind to change her outfit and keep it for a better occasion. But she wanted to be done with it and leave the Archipelago. She was not there to sight-see.

She fished trough her red purse and took out a piece of paper. Flipping it open, careful not to show the contents too openly, she examined it with disdain. Antoine de Ravin. A small noble that no one would miss. Well, except his five mistresses. Probably.

Thesa already knew the man's profile in and out, but she felt the need to look at the picture one last time before she set off to end his pathetic life. She felt that need more and more often. The noble might have been a scum, a two-faced cheater that spent the family's fortune on drinking and whores, but what gave Thesa the right to murder him? Even if the wife requested it, by ending a life, wasn't she just a bad as the Celestial Dragons she despised so bad?

She had no time for this! Gloved hands crumpled the paper and shoved it back in the purse. She checked the small revolver, her own creation. It was locked and loaded. Before closing the handbag and tossed it on her shoulder with grace, Thesa gave her panther a white cloth to smell.

Nori didn't need to be told what to do. The panther took the lead, sniffing the air searching for the man's scent. It was suck a useful skill. All Thesa had to do was ask the buyer for something the target had touched recently, and the black feline could find him in a radius of a few miles, no matter how many different perfumes and smells tried to stop her. It was one of the things that made the mercenary life an easy choice.

The young woman scanned the faces of the people passing by. So many people, happy, sad, young, old, couples, loners. She drifted through the mass of figures, nimble on her high heeled shoes, eyes in every direction. As with most things, she had mixed feelings about crowds. On one hand she hated them. They made her feel small and unimportant. It drained her of energy to focus on her surroundings within so much movement. On the other hand, they made her feel _small and unimportant_. She was just another piece of a grand clockwork, gears moving out of her control. It was weird even to her how the same feelings could stir so differently depending on her mood. Regardless of her love-hate opinion towards crowds, she needed to finish her job. She had already been paid for it.

Minutes later, Nori stopped in front of a Human Auction house. Great. She petted her panther and instructed her to wait outside no matter what happened and went up to the front door. A guard wanted to stop her, but one angry snarl from Nori made him back away. One of the reasons she didn't do anything to prove the rumors wrong was that they sometimes came in handy. People usually doubted she was indeed Theresa Frey, but very few were willing to bet their lives on it when Nori was baring her fangs at them.

Entering the building, Thesa cringed. She saw many note-worthy faces and even more scum. And as her luck would have it, two 'majestic' Celestial Dragons were up front. She wanted to puke on them. But they were not the reason she was there. She scanned the room for her unsuspecting victim. Finding him with ease, she calculated where it would be optimal for her to sit. She needed a clean shot. She took a seat on the end of a row near the back, in straight line with the man's head.

She needed a plan. She could kill the lights to create panic, kill the filth and be on her way. The chaos might attract an Admiral but once he'll realize the target was a lowly no one, he'd most likely leave. Or she could wait out the auction and kill him as he passes her on his way out, but she was already on the blasted island for longer than she wanted.

As Thesa was plotting the man's demise, she felt a pair of eyes digging in the back of her head. She turned and was met with the steel stare of none other than the Surgeon of Death. Fan-freaking-tastic. Thesa had forgotten all about the Supernova in the month that passed since she left his yellow submarine. She relaxed thinking he was never going to recognize her, she was an entirely different person from the girl he saw last. But the bastard smirked. Playing in her role, she smiled back and gave him a wink over the rim of her sun glasses. His smile widened, tongue wetting his lower lip.

Thesa was laughing internally. Whatever the pirate's dirty mind was hoping for, it was never going to happen. She turned her head and focused on her task. She had no time for distractions, even infuriatingly gorgeous ones as the Captain of the Heart Pirates. She pushed away her thoughts about the surprisingly adorable name of the crew and paid attention to the bidding for a while. It was a good way to bring her bile back in her throat.

Annoyed by the auction dragging forever, she pushed the purse open and wrapped her gloved fingers around the gun. She needed a distraction, though. As if on cue, the announcer brought in an actual mermaid for sale. It wouldn't have bothered the young mercenary so bad if the Celestial Dragon wouldn't have purchased her. Thesa's mind wandered for a few seconds, delaying the death of her target. Poor, poor mermaid. She was in for a miserable short life. Thesa could save her. But she didn't save people, she killed them!

She was brought out of her daydream by a bunch of pirates barging in trough a wall. Thesa smiled. She could use them as a distraction. She couldn't have orchestrated things better even she had planned the whole thing an entire year in advance. The pirates argued with one another, mentioning something about the mermaid, who was apparently their friend. The light caught in something, glimmering from the front rows. That's when she saw the pistol in the World Noble's hand. The mercenary acted mechanically as her mind screamed at her to stop. Still, her hand lifted. The trigger was pulled, mirroring the one held by the sinful fingers of the Celestial Dragon. She hid the gun back in her purse with a fluid motion. And it was done. That fast! That easy!

She was sick. For a moment her hand was no different than that monster's, that excuse of a human being. Her heart rate elevated as her eyes pinned the dead man a few rows before her. No one had noticed his head fall to the side; all eyes were on the shot fishman. Her hands gripped her chair's armrests. She closed her eyes and took a few long breaths. She reopened them just in time to see the brunette pirate punch the Celestial Dragon square in the face. There were very few people that gained her instant admiration, but that young boy, fool or hero, was one of them.

Hell broke loose within seconds. With all the high regard she held the boy in, Thesa still needed to leave. Her task was done. There was no reason to linger and wait for the Admiral. She got up, but all of a sudden people started dropping like flies. Thesa recognized the Haki wave and looked around for the owner. The wall behind the mermaid split open and an old man followed by a giant appeared. The two chatted, stating the man was there to steal money and return to gambling.

"Why, if it isn't Hachi! And little Thesa! It's been a while. What are you doing here?" There was a playful glint in his eyes as he asked her.

"What are _you_ doing here, Ray-san?" She respected the old geezer, but he was so care-free it bugged her sometimes. Calling her 'little Thesa' out in the open… She shook her head and went to give her old master a hug. Training with him, even for the short while, had been both a blessing and a nightmare.

"Well, haven't you grown up nicely!" He tipped back her red hat to peer at her better but she pulled it back with a fierce determination, earning a chuckle from him. The 'Dark Knight' examined the hall and realized what had transpired. Well, he probably only had half the story, but she was not about to burst his bubble. As the old man took care of the slave collar around the mermaid's neck, Thesa turned to the door. The marines were already gathered outside, shouting for them to get out and give up without a fight. She was still hoping they would get away with no scratch. And by 'they' she mostly meant herself and Nori. The only other person she cared for was Rayleigh, but he was more than capable of taking care of himself.

She was stopped right before the door. Looking back, she saw the tattooed fingers gripping her clothed right wrist. DEATH. She followed the hand, already knowing who it belonged to. Steel grey eyes examined her with curiosity. Did he know? He had no way… The big sunglasses and the hat were obscuring much of her face. And he'd only seen her once before. Maybe if he would notice Nori he could connect 'little Thesa' with her gloved hands and see trough her façade. If he wanted to say anything he didn't get the chance. The doors to the auction house were opened and the pirates were making their way out. Thesa pulled back her hand when Ray-san passed them and joined him.

"I'll take care of the marines." She eyed Eustass "Captain" Kid up and down with a mixture of curiosity and disgust, her eyes resting more on the mechanic hand than on any other aspects of the redhead. He was one odd ball. And who named their child Eustass anymore?

"Leave this to me."

"Shut up you two, I'll take out the marines."

"You're noisy…"

"Stop bickering."

"You're the one who doesn't get it."

"Like I said, leave this to me."

"No, I'll do it."

"Don't order me around!"

Men! The three pirate captains started arguing like the big children they were. Not that she minded; they could have all the marines for all she cared. Thesa helped Rayleigh lift the fishman on his back, ignoring the stares the Straw Hat crew gave her. As they reached the outside, Nori came and rubbed herself against the old man's leg.

"I missed you too, Nori." He laughed and rubbed her ear. Thesa looked at the panther, then at the back of Trafalgar Law and sighed. He would recognize her panther, wouldn't he? She had to presume one was not named a Supernova by being retarded… His crew came out too, all of them appearing bored and used to their captain wrecking havoc.

"You're overdoing it, captain…" The scene was truly deranged. While Straw Hat and Kid displayed power and agility, Trafalgar's abilities were rather… twisted. She wondered if the poor marines would return to normal after some time or after they got far enough from the Surgeon of Death. But all that was unimportant. The more pressing matter was for her to disappear. She locked eyes with Silvers Rayleigh and he gave her a smile.

"Take care, Thesa. Do visit when we're both not otherwise engaged." She sighed again and nodded her head. She and Nori made their way stealthy around the auction house, in the opposite direction. They were making their way to the ship when the feline stopped dead in her track.

A beam of light passes right in front of Thesa's face and blasted the wall to pieces. Was the day ever going to end? Was she cursed or something? Every time she came to Sabaody something made her stay way longer than planned. It was becoming ridiculous. Not as ridiculous as being attacked by two Bartholomew Kumas, though. Something was very wrong.

One of the Kumas darted past her, probably after the pirates, the other stared at her. Well, she was not going to let it fire first. Thesa pulled out a pair or bigger handguns that were strapped to her thighs and hidden by her velvet dress and fired. Bullet after bullet ricocheted from the Shichibukai. What was he made of? She saw Nori crouching in an offensive stance behind him. The panther made an attack of her own, leaping and striking him with her claws. That opened him up, for a lack of better words, because inside his chest Thesa saw only wires. Her heart tightened. The _thing_ was not Kuma at all, it was some kind of robot. That explained how there could be two of them. She placed her guns back in their holsters on her hips and pulled out a grenade. She hesitated for a brief moment, then pushed the explosive in the opening made by Nori. The robot's torso exploded, hardware flying everywhere.

When she turned to see if the other 'Kuma' was gone, she noticed a third one sneaking up behind a group of pirates, mouth opened, read to fire. Not her problem! As she dashed away towards her ship, she saw the hit was directed towards one of the Heart Pirates. No, not the white bear! Why couldn't the thing try and kill Trafalgar? Thesa wouldn't mind that much, her debt would be erased and all...

Damn her love for animals!

Pain pierced through her right shoulder as she pushed the fluffy pirate from harm's way. Better her shoulder than the mink's head, right? But, for a mercenary, one that was referred to as 'Breaker of men', Thesa's pain tolerance was extremely low. It was something she couldn't really control. She was not rendered useless by pain, she knew 'pain' was just the brain's way to signal something was off. But it felt a hundred times worse than it actually was. Her shoulder wound seemed to her as if her entire arm was blown away. That feeling alone brought back agonizing memories. Still, she pulled another grenade from her purse and with fast movements she threw it in the open mouth of the Kuma as _it_ was readying to fire. It blew the head off, but Thesa was pushed back by the blast. She watched as the pirates fought the remaining Kumas. The one with the blown up torso still had some spunk in him, coming back to life and hitting two pirates. Why was there so much blood on her hand? The last thing Thesa saw was Nori's nose. Someone was apologizing frantically in the background. She smiled, ticked by her panther's whiskers, before everything turned black.

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Any guesses? She's nothing supernatural. There are more of her _kind_ in the manga. *grin*


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"As if you were on fire from within.

The moon lives in the lining of your skin"

-Pablo Neruda

* * *

Law wanted to believe he was a professional. His patients stopped being of interest when they reached his operation table, their bodies simply becoming canvases for him to work his magic on. Their ailments were the only thing that captured his attention. So when his eyes kept darting at the woman's cleavage, he willed himself with all he got to focus on her wound. He pushed the velvet off her shoulder and examined the situation.

Thesa's pale skin spoke to Law, whispering stories of the woman's life. Three round wounds in her shoulder told him she had been shot before and from the messy way they healed, Law guessed she had no real medical care. Three little exit points were found on her back, right where he expected them to be. And now she had another wound, lower on her shoulder, where the robot Kuma hit her. That one was not going to leave much of a scar, he'd make sure of it.

When he finished bandaging her up, the pirate captain sat back in his chair and inspected the woman from afar. Without those ridiculous glasses and the red hat, he could see the resemblance to the dirty woman he first met. The crimson dress fitted her way better, such a shame it bore a hole in the solder.

The mercenary was curves in all the right places. Her breasts were the real surprise, Law had no idea how she managed to hide their size so well beneath only a white shirt the last time he'd seen her, but as he learned the hard way, women had a way with their secrets. Like that fake beauty mark that came off when he rubbed it off with sanitary alcohol. He would never admit to a breathing soul that his fingers lingering on her face, tracing her lips and the curve of her jaw. There was just something enchanting about her.

Maybe it was all the rumors, or the fact that she became a different person on every job she took. He understood the clothes, the make-up, even the dyed hair, but the eyes? How did she change their color? Or perhaps it was the small armory she carried in her handbag that made him curious. He already knew her boots hid blades, since one sprouted out and almost cut Bepo when he was placing her on the table. And what was it with her fascination towards gloves? Was she a germ-freak? He took her frail looking right hand in his and peeled the black fabric off. It revealed a small, creamy hand. Each nail was immaculately painted red. He pushed her sleeves up a bit. No hideous burn marks, no tattoos, nothing specific to tell her arm apart from another woman's, no dead give-away to her identity. So then why make the gloves a trademark?

Her pet growled at him. Law's eyes darted to her pet. Another thing that got him wondering about Theresa Frey was the fact that she had that black beast posing as a house cat. The panther had its eyes fixed on him. He would lie if he said the feline did not unnerve him the slightest. Not the huge claws and teeth, or the speed and brute force, but the way it looked at things and people, with an intelligence rarely seen in animals. The panther growled only once at Bepo when he lifted the woman to bring her to their submarine, as if it was warning him, trusting he would nurse his master back to health, but ready to slice his throat if not. It watched Law carefully as he cleaned and stitched her wound and _decided_ he was not a threat. Or perhaps he was just over thinking and the panther was one oversized stupid cat.

The animal's ears lifted and turned to the woman. She was wide awake, looking around the room. She stared blankly at him for a while then moved to get off the bed.

"You should rest for a while longer, Frey-ya."

"Trafalgar?" What? Was it such a surprise? They'd been in the same auction house and she did save his navigator, tough it might be wise not to admit that last part. "Why am I here?"

"I patched you up." She freaked out for a moment, better assessing her state. She pulled the dress back over her bandages and stared at her hand for a while.

"Why take off my glove?" If she was mad at his intrusion, he couldn't tell.

"I needed to assess the damage." She looked unconvinced, one eyebrow raised, but thankfully she said nothing more. Instead she swung her legs down the bed, picked up the discarded glove off the table and headed towards the door.

"Thank you." Such apathy in her voice… "I'll be on my way now if you don't mind." She didn't spare a single glance at her pet. There was no need; it jumped right at her feet, yawned lazily and followed.

"Where will you be going?"

"How is it your problem?" Ah, there it was! Her voice dripped with ire. So she did mind him snooping around. Maybe she wanted people to fear her, to recognize her. That was why she had the panther, why she hid her hands in gloves. She needed the rumors.

"You still owe me." A smile crept on his lips. He wanted to have some fun, see if he could spark that anger. Maybe get a glimpse of the feared mercenary, Theresa Frey, Breaker of men.

"Ah, protecting your interest." She sounded calm again, though Law couldn't see her face.

"And, as I saved your life, you owe me double now." He took a step closer to her. Was he pushing his luck?

"I saved your bear. We're even." She was almost at the door.

"I could have just left you there to bleed away. I owed you nothing. You on the other hand, Frey-ya…" She turned to face him and he closed the distance between them, grinning. He had no idea where he was going with the conversation, or why the prospect of her owing him even more made him smile. Her gaze did not falter, intense eyes burning holes into his. Her eyes were steel-grey, almost mirroring his own. How did she do it?

"Fine. Whatever."

"What?" So easily? He was kind of disappointed, he hopped she would put up more of a fight, struggle out of the obvious cheat. Why was she in such a rush to leave?

"I said okay. But thread carefully Trafalgar Law, for I will agree to only one of your requests without question. Only one, as per our initial agreement." That was maybe the longest string of words he had heard come out of her mouth. She had a nice voice, shame she didn't use it more.

"Fine." He would have to think this through carefully, see where exactly he could place the pawn with her name on the tactical map of his grand plan.

"Fine." Came her answer, short and rasp. She turned and opened the door.

His next words just blurred out of his mouth without warning. The sound of his own voice in his ears was _almost_ foreign, but undoubtedly his. And once he heard them, the idea didn't actually seem so bad.

"Join my crew!" She stopped dead in her tracks, not moving a muscle, the door barely cracked open. Her pet purred loudly, but the mercenary wouldn't move. He was about to touch her shoulder when the door closed with a thud and she sighed.

"And there I was actually beginning to like you, Law." Using his first name. Bold! He saw her reach for her other glove and he watched with interest. She span around and the next thing he knew her hand opened up at the wrist, hanging as if on hinges from the lower edge. He lifted his hand to create his room, but nothing happened as a cuff sprouted from the hole in her wrist and latched around his neck. He was pushed to the ground, her legs straddling him. A weakness entered his body and he could barely move.

"Seastone." The cuff extending from her arm and pressing on his throat was made of seastone! More importantly, her hand was dangling awkwardly on her arm. Arm from which a metal cuff busted out! It dawned on his fogging mind that she was a cyborg. His brows furrowed, the ill state he was in made it hard for him to think. He felt something cold trace down from his ear to his neck. When she pointed it to his heart, he saw it was a gun. It was making him feel worse so he guessed it was also made of seastone. The bullets must have been too. That was how she killed stronger opponents, by spending a fortune on seastone and shaping it to suit her needs.

"So easy." He looked at her; the metallic shade of her eyes had darkened. She may have not been the 'Widowmaker' that rumors portrayed, but she was dangerous. A sheep with the means to kill wolfs just by pulling a trigger.

"What are you waiting for, Frey-ya?" He should have probably just shut his trap. But the whole scene was making him think weird things. Her hips pressed against him, the barrel pushed on his chest, the cuff pinned him to the ground. The danger was imminent and it was all rather exhilarating. The mentally slapped himself. If he got to live, he thought he should get laid more often. When the woman wanting to kill you turned you on, there was something definitely wrong with you. Or maybe it was all on the seastone, making his mind and also his resolution weak.

"Can my second request be to know what's in your mind right now?" Law would have given anything in that moment to see in her head, what were her exact thoughts moment before pulling the trigger, before ending his life.

"Not gonna beg for your life?" She lifted one eyebrow into a perfect arch. He almost snorted. Did she seriously think him the begging kind?

"Would that help?"

"Not one bit." Her lips were pushed tight, the corners slightly drawn downward. The black panther was growling, pacing mere inches away from Law's head. "I should kill you."

"You should." Her face relaxed as the gun was placed just beneath his jaw, safety switch triggered. She retracted the cuff and his suspicions were affirmed: the barrel was seastone too. He was still reduced to a weak mess.

"Do you have any regrets, Trafalgar Law?" That was not even his whole name. He was going to die a no one, failing Cora-san, while that _bastard_ still lived.

"Many."

Law would probably never know if she was going to pull the trigger or not if her panther hadn't interfered. The giant cat came around her and tenderly pushed the hand holding the gun slightly away. Thesa stopped and looked at the feline, clearly distressed. That was all he needed, a few seconds without the seastone touching his skin. His hands grabbed her hips and he rolled her to the ground, pinning her hands above her head. His hat fell to the ground while he was breathing heavily, trying to regain his full strength. Surprisingly, the woman didn't struggle. She smiled playfully. It was making him think dirty for some reason.

"Not gonna beg for your life?" She rolled her eyes, smile never leaving.

"Would it help?"

"Maybe." The corners of his lips turned up. Why was he having such a relaxed conversation with her? She just tried to kill him. And without a real reason, may he add. He was just collecting what she had promised to him. "I should kill you." She laughed. She actually laughed. Law's smile grew and he even chucked a bit. Was she crazy? Had he been infected too? Was it rabies from the panther? Had she more aces up her sleeves? Did she think she could overpower _him_?

"Perhaps you should." He could play her game, too.

"Any regrets?"

"Hmmm…" Her eyes darted upwards and her lips were pursed. He watched her curiously as she thought about her answer. "Not really, no." Her head turned to the panther. It eyed them, barking its sharp teeth at Law. "One regret, depending on what you would do to Nori, if you took my life."

"If?" Did she imply he wasn't going to? Was incapable of doing so? She was teasing him. Law wondered if she could really escape him. She was obviously not a Devil Fruit user, but that didn't mean she was less dangerous. Why then was he distracted by the silky skin of her right hand? By the soft texture on her robotic hand. Was that silicon? It was ripped at the wrist, but her hand was back in place. He could see wires running underneath the jagged _'skin'_.

"Just kill me."

"Is your life so unimportant?" Her brows furrowed, but not in an angry manner, but in an inquiring one.

"Why are you asking so many questions? It should be an easy choice, I tried to kill you! Why do you keep poking on my life?" Why was he indeed? Was it because she made him think of Corazon? Once? He knew nothing about her and had all the reason to just end her life. Was it his newfound fascination with her prosthetic hand? Cyborgs were rare. The implications of making a fully functioning hand out of metal and attaching it to a human body… He wanted to know more. _Where exactly did the metal arm end?_ He could see thin black lines running up the inside of her left arm, probably were the metal edged met, enclosing the hardware that made up her hand. _Where did the metal meet the skin?_ It was more than just her hand and wrist. Was it all the way up her elbow? Up to her shoulder? _Was the hand the only addition to her human body?_

"You intrigued me." She laughed again. Hard. Law looked at her dumb folded. She was clearly missing a few screws.

"I'm sorry. It's just… _'intrigued'_ isn't the first thing I get when someone finds out I'm not entirely flesh and bone." There were tears in her eyes from all the laughter. The gloves made sense if she wanted to hide her nature, but why bother? Being a cyborg wasn't bad. It was a revolution in science! He wanted to slice her up and examine her right there on the floor. He refrained himself from doing so by asking more about her.

"Who was that boy I healed?" She eyed him a few seconds, but decided to answer.

"Just a kid." Law raised his eyebrow. Was she shitting him? The answer came to fast to be true.

"Just a kid?"

"Yeah… He snuck on my boat while I was away and got into the wrong cabinet…" So she wasn't on a job that day. Her quest to save the boy was personal. But he hadn't expected it to be so… selfless. The kid was a no one, but she cared enough for him to offer Law ' _anything humanly possible'_ in exchange for his health. She was smiling but it didn't quite reach her eyes. He'd get back on the subject later.

"How do you know the Dark Knight?"

"Ray-san? That is one long story…" She shifted her weight and Law noticed the blood staining the white bandage that could be seen on her shoulder. She had opened her stitches. Should he kill her? Use her? Just let her go her merry way? Imprison her? No, none of those options would help him in the big picture. He sighed and pushed himself off of her. It was clear to him she had to join his crew. He'd gain her trust and loyalty and she could help him with his revenge. Maybe one day she'd let him have a peek inside her wirings. He could also take all that by force… He could threaten to find the boy and kill him if she didn't hold her end of the bargain. She could do nothing once in his Room.

He felt her suspicious eyes on him as he offered her a hand. She lifted herself in a sitting position and stared long at his extended hand. She took it hesitantly, gripping it with her right hand. Law almost frowned, realizing he wanted to get a feel of the metal one. Motioning to the table, he sad saw her sitting back on it from the corner of his eye. Her legs were dangling on the side as she was starting to take off the bandage. She was also smiling. "Are we like friends now?"

"You are one weird woman."

"You clearly don't know many… And I've been called worse. When word gets out that you bathe in the blood of virgins, people get creative with names." He approached the table and cut the fabric of her dress with a scissors. "Hey…" What? It was already ruined.

"Where did all the rumors start from? I'm guessing there has to be some truth to them." Her head fell, but he pushed it back up with his fingers. For the first time since he knew her, which was really not a long time ago, she looked haunted.

"Let's just say I was different person a while back…"

"You were really a blood thirsty killed."

"Blood thirst? No. Cold blooded, yes." After her little display, he could actually picture her assassinating people just because she didn't like them. As he was re-stitching her wound, her pet placed its head on the bed, begging to be petted.

"Why didn't your cat attack me?"

"She likes you? Ouch." Law pulled the thread a bit too hard. He was tired of her dodging his answers. She looked at a spot on her lap, probably concocting another lie. "She would've attacked you if you had represented a real danger. You were not really going to kill me. Or, at least, there was no intention to do so."

"The cat can tell?"

"Hmm, I'm not entirely sure, Ray-san tried to explain to me once, about the scents we emit when feeling different things. I'm pretty sure she senses my moods. She distracts me when my mind goes in dark places." She was most certainly lying trough her teeth. He finished patching her up, his hand lingering on her skin. She was petting the feline, not minding his presence at all. She was not what he expected one bit and she kept surprising him. She was a cyborg, for crying out loud. Law realized he had a burning wish to understand her. The harder she turned away, hiding in her secrets, the more he wanted to uncover them.

"Will you join the crew?"

"Are you daft? I want you dead."

"You said you'd do anything!"

"I did. But I don't understand why…" She could be a valuable asset. If pointed in the right direction. But he doubted telling her she would be his executioner would persuade her to join.

"We're in need of a good mechanic."

"Pfff, sure. Go ahead and assume the cyborg knows shit about engineering." She was rolling her eyes again in an exasperated manner, her hands on her hips.

"Don't you?"

"I do, but it's rude to just assume that." Law wouldn't have believed her if she denied. There was no way she knew nothing about mechanics with an arm made of steel and copper wires. She would be completely dependent on someone else. Someone who could expose her little secret. The cyborg was going to join the Heart Pirates as a mechanic even if not willingly. It was perfect. He could study her and benefit of her unique talents in his war against Joker.

* * *

 **So she's a cyborg** :D Isn't that like the coolest thing ever? [ i'm going trough a phase... hopefully it will pass before I turn all my OC's into cyborgs ]

So, I'll point out here that she's not as cyborg as Franky is for example [ or Kuma, who in my opinion was already past that... he was kind of a robot...] Thesa has just a little steel woven with her flesh :D

 **Let me know what you think.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

Fun fact I forgot to mention: Nori written with this Kanji 典 means rule or _law_. He he.

I'm super glad you guys like the fact that she's a cyborg 3 *love you all*

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

What is the worth of worldly treasures

That we're boasting we can find,

If we still all need a compass

Just to get around our mind?

\- Erin Hanson

* * *

"Hold on a second! I never said we had a deal. What's in it for me?"

"In it for you? You clear _one_ debt owed to me."

"And for how long do I need to be a part of your crew?" She saw his left eye twitch a little. She was getting on his nerves. Good! The bastard was as infuriating as he was handsome.

"Until I release you from it." Ah, he was the devil!

"That's not very reassuring…" He was looking at her with menacing eyes, trying to be all scary. Truth be told, his powers freaked her. But in the close proximity, with Nori right behind him watching their exchange of words, she was confident she could kill him. She could've also done it when he was pinning her to the ground. Poor, poor pirate. Never underestimate a cyborg! She would teach him that lesson sooner or later.

But she hadn't killed him. The reason? Well, if she was being completely honest with herself, joining a crew didn't seem so bad. She tried it once before. Didn't go so well when the crew made her walk the plank. Apparently she had freaked them out when a screwdriver popped out of her middle finger. But if the rest of the Heart Pirates were at least as crazy as their captain and didn't regard her as an abnormality, she could get to like it there. Working on a submarine was also appealing. Her barquentine was and would forever be special – her first vessel, but she always wanted to travel beneath the sea.

The crew's name was also resonating with her. Heart Pirates! Thesa liked it. Most pirate crews had such boring names… using the last name of their captain or obnoxious words like Mustache, Beasts or Pumpkin. She wondered how Trafalgar came to choose 'heart' as a label for his crew.

A very small reason for the 'Surgeon of Death' still drawing breath was his choice of words. ' _You intrigue me._ ' It was the closest thing to a compliment she got from a stranger that knew her secret. The last guy that saw her arm turning into a rifle ran screaming and never looked back. She had trouble picturing this particular pirate run away from anything. The way her looked at her, like she saw interesting rather than disgusting, was probably contributing to her decision.

But did she really want to get caged in a submarine, leagues below the surface, with the owner of that sadistic smile? Sure, she could surprise him with another attack and take him out. But that was probably going to work only once more. And she was good at assassinating people, not brawling her way through his crew when they'd see their captain lying on the floor. Nori could help, but she'd be the first one to get killed by the angry mob. That was worse than losing her freedom.

Thesa sighed, feeling the impatient and irritated glare of the Supernova. Her thoughts went haywire. What did _she_ want to be in the end? A mercenary? A pirate? A killer? A mechanic? Well, if she really had the opportunity, she would have loved to become a seamstress - sewing was a passion of hers. But that ship sailed a long time ago, there was just too much blood on her hands. And if that were true, wasn't it due for her to change professions?

"Fine, I'll join." His eyes widened for a moment and her smile deepened. "I'll need some accommodations, though." She saw the vein in his forehead pulse as he closed his eyes and took a long breath.

"You didn't have much of a choice in the matter, but I'll amuse you. What do you want?"

"A room of our own first of all. I have a lot of things that I have to bring here from my ship and Nori already takes a lot of space as it is." It took him a moment to answer, changing his focus from Thesa to her panther, then back at her. When he spoke, the words were barked between his teeth.

"That can be arranged."

"And I won't be taking orders from anybody but you." Somehow, after the words were uttered, she regretted them. Probably because of the way his face lightened up, his eyes glistering with something she identified as mischief.

"I never expected you to."

"Hm, good! Well, that will be it for the moment. We should get to my ship first, I need to fix my hand." She was instantly before him, a nauseating feeling making her dizzy. How did she get there? Or was it he who moved towards her? Was it his creepy power? His tattooed fingers latched around her throat and she heard Nori growl dangerously. His piercing eyes were glaring daggers at her, his smile faded into thin line. Oh, he was so serious if was _almost_ amusing. It wasn't like he was going to kill her after pressing her to join his freaking crew. She lifted her head defiantly and smiled. "Do we have a problem, Captain?" The muscled in his jaw lightened at the use of his title.

"I really hope you understand your place here. You're _my_ subordinate. I give orders to you and you follow them, not the other way around. Is this clear in that little head of yours?"

"Transparent!" His brows furrowed, but he let go of her. Damn, he sure had a strong grip. Thesa made a mental note to get back on him if he bruised her neck. Accidentally, of course. "So, what now? Do I sign a contract? Make a pact? Bring you the heads of three Satan worshippers? Oh, oh, do I get a tattoo?" She loved tattoos. She had dabbled with the idea of getting one since she left her hometown, but she ended up with just a few small ink works on the silicon skin that hid her metal arm. That 'skin' was long replaced by new grafts.

"None of that will be necessary." His back was turned to her, as he cleaned and placed back the tools he used to stitch her wound.

"So, just lithe that? I'm part of your crew now?"

"Basically." Well, that was lame. He was meticulously cleaning and setting each utensil in its designated place. Thesa watched him with interest. There was a glimpse of the calm doctor beneath the crazed pirate, one that she had also noticed when he was tending to her wound. He seemed so… dedicated, like he wasn't doing it out of necessity, like he enjoyed it. She couldn't help but ask.

"Why are you a pirate?" She saw his hands stop abruptly. She wasn't really expecting him to answer. After all, why was she a mercenary? Why was anyone anything? Because life lead them there; it was that simple. Shit happened to people all the time and it didn't do so _because_ of them. It happened _to_ them, took them be surprise and threw them on a whole new path they couldn't change or even control.

"I have a mission of my own, _mercenary_." His voice was low. Thesa would have prodded further hadn't Nori started to rub her big head on his leg. His hand lowered slowly to pet her and she pushed her hear into his palm. Traitor!

"Oh, but I'm a _pirate_ now!" She decided to lighten the mood. She really didn't know what to make of the panther's behavior. She was used to her ignoring people, not purring around them. But if she trusted Trafalgar, Thesa could at least give the guy the benefit of the doubt.

"My bad, pirate."

"Much better."

As he finished doing his thing, Thesa stared around the room. It looked to her like every other infirmary she'd seen: a row of beds on one wall, the operating table in the middle, cabinets and drawers, binging lights. All white, all sparkly clean. The only difference between that medical room and all those others was the doctor. As if sensing her thoughts were turning on him, he spoke, his voice startling her.

"Come, I'll present you to the crew."

Before leaving the room, Thesa snatched a roll of bandages and wrapped it around the ripped 'skin' on her wrist. She had to get to her ship and replace the grafts, but apparently her new captain didn't see that as a priority. Trafalgar sent her a disapproving look as they walked side by side though the narrow hallway.

"You're not going to lie to my crew, are you?"

"Lie? My goodness, no!" Her head dropped to the side where Nori paddled along her, almost glued to her leg. "I'll just keep some things to myself. You know… for the first impression and all that jazz."

"They're not going to care about your arm." Oh, but it was a little more than just her arm. She shouldn't even be alive, she wouldn't be without all the tubes and gears and wires. Even if they might not think badly of her, the risk of being shunned again was real. She'd figure something out to tell them, Later. "Their navigator is from the Mink Tribe and they all love him. I'm sure they couldn't care less about you being a cyborg."

"I'll tell them when I'm ready. _Please_ , don't say anything to them just yet?"

"Whatever." She was half expecting him to snap at her again, but he kept his cool, not sparing her another glance the entire way. They entered a large room filled with tables, which Thesa supposed was the dining hall. Heads turned in their direction. On a quick glance, she numbered about twenty people. They acknowledged their captain first, only after noticing her and her panther.

"Captain, do you want us to take her back on land?" She saw his smirk spread from the corner of her eye.

"No, Frey-ya here will be joining the crew. A with a wide variety of expressions morphed on each of their faces. Most of them were surprised, some were confused, some smiled her way, and a few looked troubled. Considering everything, all were normal reactions, she supposed. A man with brown-red hair that reached his shoulders and a funny looking hat got to his feet.

"It that wise, captain? With all that's being said about her…" Her eyes fell to the floor and she fidgeted with the ends of the bandage on her wrist – a habit she got whenever she felt analyzed and judged. All those pairs of eyes on her! All labelling her as different things without even knowing her… She felt dizzy, her cheeks burning hot. Nori bumped her head against her leg, assuring her he was by her side.

"I don't know, Shachi. She doesn't look all that evil up close."

"And she did save my life! It should count as something." Was that the bear talking? She couldn't lift her head, eyes glued to a dent in the metal panelling of the floor. The pirates started talking between them, each stating his opinion on the matter. Trafalgar's voice stopped the chatter.

"Regardless, she's our mechanic now. Make her feel at home." Thesa

He signalled the white bear and they both left the room, leaving Thesa and Nori with a whole bunch of strangers. She realized she was going to have to memorize a lot of names. She was horrible at it! She basically forgot a name the second someone finished pronouncing it.

A woman followed by a guy with a hat that spelled PENGUIN approached her. The woman spoke first.

"Hi, I'm Erin. It's nice to meet you. I'm so glad you joined. We can always do with more women around here." Thesa felt a tinge of jealousy; the woman was gorgeous. She had this amazing wavy red hair that fell past her chest, hazel eyes and a dust of freckles on her nose and cheek. Not to speak of her body, ample boobs, a thighs little waist and curvy hips – a work of art. And she was most likely all flesh and bone, unlike Thesa.

"They call me Penguin." The first thing Thesa wanted to do was peer under the hat to better assess his face. Besides the hat, the man was pretty nondescript, wearing the same orange boiler suits almost everyone had. There was a faint blush on his cheeks, but she couldn't see for sure. Well, the good part was she couldn't possibly forget his name, since he had it written on his head.

"Come sit with us. Are you hungry? I can get you something from the kitchen." The woman, Arin… Eris something, grabbed her by the shoulders and guided her toward the table. The remaining three people at the table looked at her with friendly smiles.

"Hi…"

"Oh, don't be shy. I'll introduce everybody. The mountain of muscles over there is Ryan." He was indeed muscular. His sleeves were cut short exposing his arms. He was cute, though, as he flashed a smile and waved his hand lazily. "Then you have Sam." Sam was scrawny looking, with perfectly styled hair and a jet white scarf around his neck. He nodded his head as a greeting and Thesa did the same. "Lastly, Micha, out cook." The first thing she noticed was his dimples, them the mop of curly brown hair and vivid green eyes. And as if he wasn't handsome enough, his deep voice also held a foreign accent.

"Finally a mechanic! And a cute one at that. It's nice to meet you Thesa. Hope you'll like it with us." He placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his palm. His eyes were looking her up and down and Thesa became a little paranoid. What was he searching for?

"Micha, stop that and go bring Thesa something to eat." He chuckled and got up from his seat. He was tall, probably towering over Trafalgar. Why was she using the captain as a frame of reference?

"Would you like something in particular?"

"Some chocolate would be great. Anything sweet really, but chocolate would be fantastic… if like… you have any." She became uncertain when the pirates at the table all raised an eyebrow at her request.

"Umm, I'll see what I can find." With that he turned on his heels and went through a door on the opposite wall. Thesa looked around the room at all the faces starring at her.

"Should I present myself of something?"

"No need, luv. They all know who you are." Scarf-dude waved his hand as if it was a small matter, but Thesa's stomach flipped. They didn't know her, they knew a bunch of rumors, fabrications of a murderous woman.

"You'll get to know everyone in time, don't worry." Red-hair placed a hand on her right arm in a reassuring gesture. She had the warmest smile Thesa had ever seen, one of those genuine smiles that made you want to hug the person. There was a small moment of silence before the woman spoke again.

"So, what made you join the crew?"

"Your captain."

"Isn't he lovely? He might not show it but he cares greatly for the crew. He's the best captain in the whole Grand Line."

"Um, yeah." Thesa was surprised. Not in particular that Trafalgar was a good captain, but by the fact that his crew seemed to love him. Even as the red haired woman spoke, Thesa saw how the others nodded their heads in agreement. Before she could inquire about the captain, the cook came back with 2 plates. One was set before her, filled with all sorts of cookies and pie. She would have stuffed her face with all of them if Nori hadn't purred at her side.

"I supposed your panther eats meat. Is it okay?" She saw the man was reluctant to place the plate so close to Nori so Thesa saved him the trouble, taking it herself.

"Oh, yes, thank you so much."

"No need, dear. We're all family here."

"So, Theresa, I'm dying to know how you came across the panther." It was the guy with the scarf that talked, as he placed his hand on the cook's.

"Well, it's kind of a typical story. I found Nori when she was a cub. She had fallen into a hunter's trap so I helped her get out of it. She followed me for days after that… "

"Aww, that's such a cute story. She must have instantly thought you as her saviour." Thesa didn't know what ran through Nori's head that day more than she knew what the panther was thinking on a daily basis. The one thing she knew, though, was that Nori helped her as much as she helped the giant cat. She remembered being so alone in the world before the feline decided she was going to keep her company. But she didn't feel like sharing all of that with the pirates yet, though they seemed really nice people.

"Yeah, we've been together ever since." Thesa grabbed a cookie and took a mouthful out of it. She almost moaned in delight when the sugar touched her taste buds. Heaven! She ate in silence as the pirates told them more about the crew, pointed at random people and saying their name as it Thesa was memorizing any of it. She was too focused on eating as much of those cupcakes as possible. Though she did notice again how some pirates didn't wear the orange suit, so she asked when these was an opening in the conversation.

"Will I have to get a boiler suit, too?"

"Well, it's not mandatory. But you'll see, after a while on the submarine, you'll want one."

"Why is that?" They exchanged a look between them and the woman giggled sweetly before answering.

"It's hard to explain, really. The ones you see without the suit are all new recruits, but I think the reason behind it is different for each of us. For me personally, it was a way to blend in with the crew. I was the only woman at that time and I didn't want them to act differently around me because of it." Thesa understood that better than anyone. Not the being the only woman part, but the need treated like the rest.

"As one of the first members of this crew, I can tell you for sure, we started wearing them when we had to

"When I put the suit on… it was like I finally belonged somewhere, you know?" The guy with the scarf had a dreamy look in his eyes, like he was reliving the moment the suit's zipper went all the way up and he was a proper member of the Heart Pirates. The cook's fingers tightened around the man's hand. Wait a second… What was going on?

"I just like the way it feels." Muscle man joined in the conversation and was approved by the cook.

"Preach. They're more comfortable than they look."

"And you can style them. Add a scarf here, cut some length there. The ladies like them super thigh as you can observe on our friend here."

"Stop it, Sam!" She was blushing furiously, highlighting her freckles. "At least I'm not showing half my boobs like some others…" Okay, so scarf guy was Sam. _Sam,_ common, it was short and easy.

"Oh, that's the Erin I like. Be mean, girl!" Erin pouted and turned her head away from Sam, cheeks red like the dress Thesa was wearing.

"You'll have to get used to these two, they bicker all the time." Muscle man had an apologetic expression, his brows furrowed in sad manner. He was shoving a soft, kind side underneath all those ripped muscles. For some reason, he was incredibly cute that way. Thesa saw Erin smiling her way as if she knew what she was thinking. Well, women!

"Oh, look at Ryan playing a saint. As if you don't like it when she gets all flushed up and innocent." _Ryan_. This one was easier, Thesa's neighbor from home had a boy names Ryan with whom she used to play as kinds. She could remember this one. The big man's eyes widen in pure horror. His eyes darted towards the redhead before falling down, his ears turning the color of her hair.

"Stop picking on them before they stop talking to us." The cook jolted his elbow in _Sam_ 's ribs playfully.

"But, Micha, look at them!" Both Ryan and _Erin_ were looking at a spot on the table, eyes cast down, faces as red as tomatoes. They were incredibly adorable. More importantly, the cook's name was _Micha_. Oh, Thesa was surely going to forget this one...

"Come on Thesa, I'll show you around." Before she could object - there were still four cookies on her plate - the other woman hooked her arm around Thesa's elbow and grabbed her away from the table. She thanked the stars it was her right arm. Nori got u with a yawn and followed after them.

As they were exiting the room, another woman walked past them, smiling sweetly, but didn't stop to greet Thesa or make her acquaintance. She just waltzed ahead of them, slightly bumping Erin's shoulder. The redhead groaned a little after her. She must have seen the ex-mercenary stare after the woman with curious eyes.

"Ugh, that's Cara. Don't mind her. She can be a bit of a snob." But Thesa wasn't looking after her because she was offended. If anything, she was offended by her beauty. Erin might have been gorgeous, but 'Cara' was a goddess. She had all the right to walk with her nose held high.

She had long dusty rose gold hair that fell all the way to her lower back. It was such an amazing color and it looked so soft and silky Thesa almost wanted to run after her and brush her fingers through it. From that one glance the woman spared the, she saw the woman possessed the most vibrant sky blue eyes. She was also blessed with the face of an angel and the body of a devil. Damn! Even Thesa, who drooled at the sight of men's' abs and their well toned arms, was tempted to look at those hips as she swung them seductively.

They walked silently for a moment, but Erin's good mood returned quickly. She showed around and Thesa tried hard to remember her way, but with every turn they took she realized every wall and door looked the same. There was nothing to distinguish the women's dorm from the men's, or the med bay, or even the captain's quarters. Every was made of nondescript metal. Until they reached the engine room. It was, as far as Thesa knew, the only door that had the handle at the bottom, sliding up when it was opened. She wanted to peer inside but Erin pulled on her arm gently.

"You'll have for that later. We still have to visit the control room."

"Say, I've been meaning to ask, how come I'm the only mechanic? I presumed there would be several on a submarine…"

"Well, we had one, but he was kicked out a while back."

"Why? You'd think a mechanic is indispensable here."

"He was a bit of a pervert and made inappropriate jokes, but nobody actually knows what happened. Rumor has it he had a quarrel with Cara and she went crying to the captain."

"Hmm, must have been some quarrel if Trafalgar risked going underwater without someone who can fix things if anything broke."

"The situation wasn't that dire, many men know how to repair stuff around here. Shachi was our mechanic replacement until you joined." Sha- who? Was she supposed to know the guy? Had they showed him to her when they were at the table? "I think he'll be helping you around actually. You know, until you know where everything is and stuff."

"That'll be great." Erin smiled at her and tightened her grip on her arm a little as they walked the corridors. She was nice, Thesa liked her. She talked a lot and was a ray of sunshine, a smile always plastered on her freckled face. She noticed the redhead was shorter than her, barely passing her shoulder. She wondered how many men were lining at her door, a petite, gorgeous red haired beauty who was ever warm and friendly.

When they reached the control room Thesa couldn't keep her lips from turning into a smile. There were double doors! Another room she was going to recognize. Yay! As Erin was explaining to her that not many people are allowed in there, Trafalgar exited the room. He had a bored almost tired expression on his face.

"Erin, are you showing our newest member around?"

"Yes captain. I was actually meaning to talk t you. We need another bed in the girls' quarters if Thesa will…"

"No need. I made other arrangements for her and her pet."

"Oh, I never considered Nori… Where will they be staying?"

"We're going to clear out the storage room on the second level."

"The one between the dorms?"

"Yes. Actually, can you handle that? Take Jean Bart and Ryan and some others to help."

"Sure, captain. I'll get to it." Erin waved her hand to Thesa and even petted Nori a little behind her ear. Thesa smiled, glad that her potential friend wasn't terrified by her companion. She turned to face Trafalgar.

"So, now that I have a room, when can I get my stuff?"

* * *

 **OK** , there was a scene in the manga where more of the Heart Pirates are shown. And the second I saw the woman I was: 'You're gonna be my OCs friend!' But then I thought we're going to find out her name and things about her and I will hate it that she'll appear to be someone else in my story. And then as I was writing Erin, I got distracted by Pinterest... saw a picture of Cara Delevingne in all her beauty... and I thought it would be nice to add another female, possibly a bitchy one.

So I decided to invent a few characters of my own, though I generally hate adding more than one OC [ even Nori seemed like too much work in the beginning...] I'll mention more members, but you'll probably only 'see' [ as in read more about...] these 5 guys: Erin, Ryan, Sam and Micha, Oh and Cara, all in small doses, along with the Heart Pirates we already know, besides the magnificent Law : Bepo, Shachi, Penguin, Jean Bart. Unless you guys want more. Personally, too many OCs confuse me when I'm reading fanfics

 **Anyways, let me know what you think and if you want to find out more about the secondary OCs or if I should stick to Law x Thesa more.**

[ Off to write the next chapter 'cause my nails be looking pretty - beige fading to white at the tips - on the black keyboard ]


	5. Chapter 5

I had a lot of things to say... but I didn't note them down and now they went POOF!

Anyways, thanks a lot for the reviews, follows and favorites [ that a word? probably not in this context...] You guys brighten my day! *love you*

 **Hope you enjoy!**

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"The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed."

\- Ernest Hemingway

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Sitting on his chair in the center of the room, Law examined the newest addition to his crew.

She was a paradox to him.

He felt like strangling her when she commented out of line, when she ordered him around, even if it was in a joking manner. She could be so infuriating, so defiant. Even the way she looked at him, with such distrustful eyes, made him kill her in his mind a few times, all in the few hours she had been aboard his submarine.

He also wanted to dissect her like a lab rat, see how it was exactly that she moved her left arm so gracefully when it was completely metal. Find out what made her tick. He wondered if her brain was connected to her arm, sending it impulses to move and grab thing or pop out a seastone cuff. What other things could she be hiding in there? Was she able to feel things with her left arm? Things like heat or the brush of his fingers over her wrist? Law shook his head.

There were also times when his thoughts about her took odd turns. Like how her smile seemed so genuine to him as she was talking to his navigator, explaining to him where her ship was. He thought her face lightened up when she was curious about things. She had probably asked Bepo about his tribe, because Law heard him apologize a few times before she giggled and told him it was alright. He found out her laughter was something he would not mind hearing more often.

When Bepo turned to steer the submarine to the location of her ship, Thesa moved closer to the big window. She was staring through it, looking after every fish that crossed their path. She was bent over the control panel, careful not to push any buttons. His eyes trailed up and down her legs and wished her dark knee-high socks gone.

No! He didn't have time for this. He had a plan to get to and an evil bastard to kill. And even if he made some time, she was a really bad choice. Not only was she an ex-mercenary who was rumored to be ruthless, she admitted to wanting him dead. How was that a good thing? How did it help him get closer to his goal? She'd probably end up killing him in a jealous fit, she look the type to go crazy after a while. The fact that she was called 'widowmaker' and 'breaker of men' supported his theory that she had something against males.

But seeing her laugh with Bepo at silly things, like funny-looking fish, made him doubt all those rumors. She looked innocent and somewhat cute. He was not going to forget that she was deadly, but maybe there was more to her than her work as a mercenary. Maybe she was broken, but not completely destroyed. Much like himself.

Although she hadn't really had a choice, he wondered why she joined the crew. Was it all only because of the debt she owed him? If so would she ever get to like it there on his submarine? She was already getting along with Erin, but then again, everyone got along with Erin, she was too nice for her own good. Even Cara refrained from talking badly about the redhead and Shachi kept his more graphic comments to himself when she was around. Well, Erin was at least a start. She could make Thesa feel comfortable and wanted there, maybe even loyal to the crew if not to him directly.

Law felt the submarine ascend to the surface at a slow pace. He was trying hard to keep his calm. Their schedule had been already screwed as the Heart Pirates were supposed to be on their way to Fishman Islands already. Instead, they were still on the bloody archipelago, chasing after the vile woman's ship. The whole ordeal couldn't be over fast enough.

The submarine got to the surface and her ship came in view. Thesa let out an excited squeak and ran to get to the hatch that led outside but stopped, turning towards them.

"I…um, don't know the way…"

"Don't worry, Thesa-chan, I'll take you there."

"Thanks, Bepo, you're awesome."His navigator blushed. He was just so naïve. Of the whole crew, Bepo was probably his closest friend, but sometimes he wished his navigator would get just a little more self-confidence. He two of them left the room, trailed by the black feline. Law sttod in the doorway just for a few seconds longer, before deciding he was curious to see his cyborg's vessel.

He was disappointed when they reached the top level and went into the blazing sun. Seeing her ship without the dark smoke it was surrounded by in the last time diminished the frightening effect it had had. It looked more like a wreck than anything else: the black sails had holes in them, the paint was scrapping off and Law could see some of the dock's railing was missing in places.

"It looks pitiful."

"It's a disguise, stupid. It's all smoke and mirrors." There it was, the murderous itch in his fingers. She looked back at him with big eyes as if finally realizing she had said something wrong, or as if she sensed the death glare on the back on her pretty little head. "I'm sorry, I get a little sensitive about my ship." Law sighed deeply. He could understand that, but it wasn't a reason to insult him so blatantly.

"Try to watch your tongue before you lose it, little pirate." As they boarded her ship, reaching a wide metal plank from the submarine towards it, the captain entertained himself with the thought of actually removing her eager tongue, watch her struggle to form the apologies without it, try desperately to beg for it back. A grin spread on his face - he'd do just that the next time she spoke out of turn. He could already foresee he wasn't going to have to wait for too long.

Despite the deplorable condition of the exterior, the inside was rather impressive. The first thing Law noticed was that it was completely made of metal, the floor, the walls, the tables. Even the chairs were steel, though they had fluffy cushions on top. Wall lamps lit the entire ship, as far as Law saw. He thought his own vessel wasn't such a huge change of scenery for her. Maybe she'd feel right at home in is yellow submarine.

Thesa went straight into a room with her pet hot on her heels. Law exchanged a look with Bepo, both wondering if they should follow. He decided he still wanted to see the rest of her barquentine, so he stalked after her, his navigator behind him.

By the decorum, he guessed it was her room: a canopy bed with thick dark curtains and lots of pillows, an entire wall covered with shelves full of books, an enormous walk-in closet on the other wall. It would have looked like an average woman's room, _would have_ , if not for all the metal parts and tool boxes scattered around her desk. Not to mention the furniture was made of steel and iron there too. She came out of the closet and sighed.

"This is going to take a while."

"You're taking everything?"

"Most of it, yes." The day was never going to end. At least not with both of them alive. She was irritating him more and more every second, making him regret ever asking her to join the crew. What was he thinking? That she'd fall into submission just because she still owed him one favor?

"Should I go ask some of the guys to help, captain?" His navigator's intentions were good natures, but Law didn't want to ask his crew to help her move her things. It was already annoying that she apparently wanted to move her entire ship aboard his. Sure, all his subordinates came with luggage, but most of them carried it in a bag over their shoulders.

"Please don't!" She sounded so desperate. Law realized she didn't want them to find about she was a cyborg. Her room being filled with spare parts would surely bring up some questions. "Erin and the guys are already clearing up a room for me… besides, I can do this alone. I'll just need some boxes to put my things in."

"I know where I can get some. I'll be right back."

Just like that, Law was left alone with her. He was not counting the cat that was lazily cleaning its paws on a stack of pillows at the foot of her bed. He wandered around the room, as the girl went back and forth between the bed and the closet, piling up neatly folded clothes. He walked closer to look inside and had to suppress a gasp. It must have been at least four times bigger than her actual room, with a huge vanity mirror in the center and hangers with clothes all around. There were shoe boxes lined up beneath the hanging clothes. Thesa was picking up clothes apparently without giving much thought to her choices and Law wondered if she knew where everything was or it didn't matter what items she folded because she was _packing everything!_.

He was about to release some of his ire on her, when he noticed another table behind the vanity. Scattered on it were thin wires and a lot of equipment he really didn't know the purpose of. But the thing he found most interesting was the stack of silicone grafts. He picked one up and felt the skin-like texture. There was nothing unusual about it, nothing that indicated it could help her sense. She came by the table and started gathering the tools, placing them in their metal boxes.

"You know all of this is never going to fit in your new room…right?"

"Well, since I won't be needing so many disguises, I'll be taking just the things I actually like. Which, you'll be surprised, are not that many." She took out from a drawer some small metal boxes and piled them on top on one another. Law wondered what was in them. "Besides, I can always buy more clothes. What's going to take the most space and time are the cyborg related thingies." He picked up a box and opened it, only to find it was filled with extremely small screw nuts. "Yes, like all those boxes."

Bepo came back with several cardboard boxes and started helping her without asking. They were filling them with all the items she placed in the first room. He saw her giving Bepo curious glances when he'd lift a metal box or a roll of copper wire, but the navigator didn't seem to notice. Well, why would he? He was helping their new mechanic move her tools. She was freaking out over nothing.

Law hated lying to his crew. He knew it was not his place to reveal her secret, but he wished she'd realize she had nothing to hide. Being a cyborg was not synonym with being a monster or an abomination. Law wondered what kind of people she had the misfortune of running into along her journey. All of them were probably idiots if they only saw the metal arm behind the girl.

His eyes were pinned to her, following after her when she moves to gather more clothes or metal boxes. When he realized he had been staring like a creep, he moved t inspect the bookshelves. Reading the titles one by one, he sighed. Most of the volumes were romances, many were epic fantasy adventures and others he had no idea. A book called ' _A wild sheep chase'_ could literally be about anything.

Law turned to his two subordinates and was rather impressed they managed to fit almost everything in only eight boxes.

"Almost done." Thesa brushed the knees of her pants as if to clean them, and then went to get the dark blue veils off the canopy.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm taking the bed!" She was taking the…

"You have to be joking."

"Thesa chan, I don't think it's going to fit through your door."

"Oh, I will. I designed it myself." His curiosity was peaked; he was interested after all to know how skilled a mechanic she actually was. But that didn't mean she wasn't still stepping on his every nerve.

It took her longer than expected to get the damn fabric off the canopy, then push all the pillows and mattresses on the floor. She went to the front of the bed and opened a little panel. He stepped closer and saw her twist a little handle. The canopy slid down completely, merging the framing, then the bed compacted into itself, the legs pulled up. In a matter of seconds her bed was no bidder than one of the cardboard boxes Bepo had found. He had to admit, it was kind of cool. He was not about to call it impressive, but it clearly looked like she had put a lot of thought and dedication into making the furniture. Law sighed.

"Are you done now?" He saw her frown and open her mouth to say something, probably stupid, only to snap it shut. She pursed her lips into a pout instead. Damn! He was really looking forward to punish her a little, but maybe she was learning her place.

"Remarkable, Thesa-chan."

"Thanks Bepo. You're really sweet."

"Will the two of you stop chatting and finish here? We're already off schedule." Law strode to the other side of the room, in an attempt to get back to his ship. He was stopped when her hand grabbed the helm of his hooded sweatshirt.

"Oh, captain, wait! I'll have to take my ship somewhere safe. Is it alright if I take off for an hour or so?" He growled. He thought he should just shut her and her pet in a room on the submarine and depart. But he wanted her to be an actual member of the crew, regardless that she's joined because she had to. So he nodded.

"We leave in exactly four hours. You better be back by then!" With that he left the two and her panther on the ship. He wasn't entirely sure why he didn't help. He could have created a room big enough and transported her things in a matter of seconds. Why then leave her to carry all of those boxes? And why was Bepo being punished with her? Well, he didn't seem to mind, he was all bashful and blushing.

The sun was setting when he entered his yellow vessel. He played the events of the day in his mind: went to a human auction, witnessed that kid punch a Celestial Dragon, the mercenary saved Bepo's life, then tried to end his own and now she was part of the crew, getting her own room.

Overshadowing even the attempt on his life, was the young captain at the auction house. Monkey D. Luffy. The will of the D. was brewing trouble again. But he could use the kid. He appeared to be friends with the Dark Knight, and Thesa was friendly enough with him. Law could use her as a bridge between them. He could get jet another pawn in his war against Joker. Plus the kid seemed easy enough to manipulate.

A faint pain struck his skull and he massaged his temple. There was time for plotting in the morning. The day was filled with enough excitement. All he needed was a long hot bath, some food, and finally, a good night's sleep.

His quarters were at the back of the submarine, past the crew's quarters and the gym. He walked past Thesa's new room, the door wide open and saw it had been already cleared. Erin was inside, cleaning the small round window. He resisted the urge to go inside and dismiss the woman. It was her choice to do as he pleased with her free time, and he really wanted to relax for the remainder of the night. No more ex-mercenary related stress.

The bath did wonders to his stiff, aching muscles. He cladded himself in a fresh change of clothes, something light he was going to get rid of once he crashed in his bed. He strolled to his usual table and saw Bepo and Shachi already there. A plate was waiting for him between the two.

"Ah,captain, you'll be glad to hear that Thesa's back."

"Already?"

"Yes. She said she'll come to diner after she took a bath."

Law rolled his eyes a bit and hoped she was going to take her sweet time. He could eat quickly and retreat in the comfiness of his mattress. But he didn't get to take two bites when she shyly entered the dining hall, the black panther like a shadow at her side. There was a moment of silence, all heads turning to her and Law couldn't condemn them.

She wasn't an entirely different person; you could still recognize her face. But somehow she was portraying a different character. Her once warm brown hair was styled in thin blue braids, gathered in a high pony tail. The braids reached all the way to her waist. Her once steel gray eyes were coal black. She was wearing a white blouse, tucked in blue shorts and black boots. The knee high socks were ever present just like gloves it seemed. Was it merely a fashion statement or was there more to it?

Erin waved at her and Thesa walked rapidly to the table and sat down. Her slightly lost expression vanished little by little as the pirates at the table laughed and talked with her. Micha even brought her and the cat food.

"She's weird."

"Give her a chance Shachi, she's actually really friendly."

"Of course she's friendly to you, she's a woman and you're a fluffy talking bear!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Bah, stop that!"

Law shut out the noise in the room, concentrating on the girl. Was she still deceiving all of them? Was his idea to use her in his plans going to backfire?

"You should keep an eye on her, Shachi."

"But, captain-"

"You too, Bepo. Nothing extreme. Just see if she's up to anything suspicious."

"Yes, captain!" They both said, but one was more eager than the other. Finishing his meal, Law pushed the plate away. Before he left for his room, he snatched the newspaper from the table. With all that was going on, he hadn't the time to see what else was going on in the world. Scanning the first page as he walked, he thought the information rather interesting. The marines had captured Firefist Ace. They were having a public execution in a matter of days. That was like declaring war with the Whitebeard pirates! The Navy was sure getting bold.

More importantly, Portgas _D._ Ace.

Maybe a little delay in his plan was worth the while.

* * *

Oh I wanna ask you some things.

1\. Do you have any preference between American English and British English? I think I use both... randomly. But in some words like color/colour, favorite/ favourite... Should I use the British one? O.o I am rather confused by this...

2\. Now, Law's eyes are yellow in the manga but gray in the anime. Which should I use? I made them gray I think in a previous chapter. Should I just leave thm like that? Make them yellow? Flip a coin? :))

Till next chapter! *Hugs*


	6. Chapter 6

By some kind of miracle I finished this chapter...

Just so you guys know... I will finish this story. I'll try posting a new chapter every week or so, depending on how much time I have.

 _Hope you enjoy and sorry for the wait!_

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"You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star."

\- Friedrich Nietzsche

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Thesa woke up early in the morning. It was not her usual style, but she was freaking out a little. It was her first official day as a member of The Heart Pirates. She didn't count the day before, with trying to kill the captain, with moving her things in her new room and arranging everything. That was pre-joining. But now she was all settled and ready.

But what should she wear?

She had already made her hair a vibrant green, short and cute, ending just below her jaw. She opted for the same striking color for her eyes. Now the clothes should be somewhat non-descript, so she wouldn't end up a freaking rainbow.

She chose a pair of long black pants and a white sleeveless T-shirt. As she picked a grey hoodie, she thought she could improve it. Thesa picked one of the discarded cardboard boxes and proceeded to cut it apart. Nori yawned lazily from her pillow while watching Thesa's hands work their magic. When she was done with the design, she searched for a can of spray paint that she got from her ship. Taking care not to get any where she didn't want to, she sprayed it on the cardboard. When she was done, the hoodie had the crew's logo on its back. She smiled, pleased with her work.

Passing a quick glance at the mirror, she left her room, panther on her heels. Now for the hard part: finding the dining hall. The yellow submarine was a maze, no exaggeration. Every door, wall, floor and ceiling was made of the same metal, same design. Thesa had a vague idea to where the room she was looking for was, but she still had to back up a few times and make a right turn instead of left. Bu the time she reached her destination she was fairly certain that she was actually supposed to walk a straight line, no turns at all.

The dining hall was full, chatter being heard all the way from the stairs. Thesa entered warily. Maybe she shouldn't have changed her appearance so dramatically. Heads turned her way, mouths hung agape confirming her thoughts.

"Thesa! Over here!" Erin's over enthusiastic voice struck the noise of the crowd and drew Thesa over to their table. They were sitting in the same formation: scarf-guy, the cook and Ryan on one side, Penguin and Erin on the other. The mechanic slid next to the petite red head, Nori sprawling on the floor next to her.

"Good morning, guys."

"Good morning, Theresa. How was your first night aboard?" Scarf-guy, who was wearing a red and blue stripped scarf, meticulously twisted around his neck, peered into her eyes as if waiting to catch her with a lie. What was his name anyway, something with an 'S'?

"I fell asleep right after my head hit the pillow."

"Well, it's understandable. You had such a full day." The cook said as he placed a plate in front of her and dared to set the other on the ground next to Nori who didn't even flinch. She did that when humans were scared, as if she knew fast movements would only unnerve them further.

"Oh, I never thanked you for clearing the room I'm using. Thanks a lot. You really didn't have to."

"The captain asked us to-"

"Shut up, Sam! It was no problem, Thesa. It didn't even take us long." Erin smiled and the world seemed a little sunnier. Thesa wondered briefly if it was some kind of Devil Fruit ability. The cuteness-overload power. At full potential it would allow the user to enslave the minds of lesser humans and make them do her bidding. She shook the thought away.

"Nevertheless, I am grateful."

"Do you need help with arranging our things?"

"Oh, no. I already placed most of them." She took a bite out of the strange looking food in her plate and her taste buds exploded with delight. Erin giggled besides her.

"Aww, look Micha. She likes your cooking."

"Like? I _love_ this! What is it?"

"Ha ha, why thank you, dear. I made it especially for you. It's a recipe passed down in my family. It's basically chocolate and almonds. But prepared with love and dedication and a technique only known by me that I will some day pass down to my son."

The table went silent for a moment. The cook's eyes were burning with passion, his fist pressed to his chest. Thesa blinked a few times, fork held mid-air. The sweet smell reached her nose and she recovered, moaning a little at the magical taste. More giggles and snickers sounded around the table. The guy could pass the recipe to whoever he wanted as long as she got more of the fabulous cake.

The conversation around the table went on as Thesa half listened, her attention being on the rest of the crew she was yet to properly get acquainted with. People were sending glances her way and she wasn't sure if they were merely curious or distrustful. But then again, they didn't really know her; they would've been stupid if they did trust her on the spot. Thesa was pretty sure not even the 5 lovely pirates at her table trusted her, but they were trying hard to make her feel like she belonged.

"What do you guys do all day around here?" Thesa found herself asking before she really thought about it, the words leaving her mouth abruptly. Erin answered her in a heartbeat.

"Well, it depends from person to person. When we travel we hang out mostly. Micha tries out new dishes, Sam makes clothes as a hobby, Penguin usually helps Shachi in the engine room or Bepo in the control room." Erin's checks reddened as her eyes locked with the muscular pirate. "You can find Ryan most days in the training room." The young man had a sheepish look, his big hand ruffling the hair on the back of his head. Yes, there was definitely something going on there. If anyone asked Thesa, the two of them were rather cute together, both shy and adorable, him - a tall, broad chested gladiator, her - a petite curvy nymph.

"What about you, Erin?" Saying her name gave Thesa an odd satisfaction, like she was proving herself to the woman that she indeed remembered her name. She couldn't say the same for the rest of them. Well, except Penguin, but the guy wore his 'name' on his head.

"She helps everyone around. She's one second here, the next she's someplace else. Like a tireless little working bee." Scarf-guy waved his hand around like the red head was wrong in doing so. The girl let out an exasperated sigh at which the guy smiled mischievously.

"You say that like it's bad thing… Anyway, regardless of what I do in my free time, the captain changed course, so everyone is on their toes right now."

"Oh, where to?"

"No one knows. We were initially headed towards Fishman Island." Penguin answered nonchalantly as if this was not the first time their captain didn't tell them where they were going.

"Does he usually not tell us our destination? Or is there something special this time?"

"Well, he never makes a big deal out of it. We usually find out from Bepo, but no one's seen him."

"Aren't you worried?" Five heads turned towards here, eyeing her like she had spontaneously grown five heads.

"About what?"

"I don't know… that maybe he's taking us somewhere we don't want to go? What if he gets an idea of breaking a friend from Impel Down? Or declaring war against the Celestial Dragons?"

"What if he did that?" It was Thesa's turn to look at them like they were missing some of their faculties.

"Are you saying _no one_ , not one of the pirates of this crew, would even _consider_ leaving the captain if all that awaited then at his side was certain doom?"

"Well, maybe some would think about it. But, Thesa, we're pirates, outlaws. We live dangerously because we chose to." Scarf-guy was serious, all the glee he previously had gone.

"Besides, most of us owe the captain." Muscles added, his voice deep and vibrant. Was his name Ryan? She would bet a lot of money on Ryan.

"What do you mean owe him?" She lifted a green eyebrow, wondering if Law blackmailed all his crew into joining. It didn't seem so far-fetched, but his crew seemed not to fear or even despise him. If anything, they looked ready to kiss the ground he walked upon. They probably would if the asked them to.

"It's not like we're serving out a sentence, Thesa. Nor is it as if we're repaying a debt. But the captain has saved most of us from one thing or another, or offered us a chance to fulfill a dream." Penguin smiled as if he was rememorizing the moment he joined the crew. Thesa was not entirely sure she understood. If Law was so generous and loving, why had he obligated her to join? Not that she really minded, she wanted to try something else besides being a mercenary. But still, he'd been kind of a jerk to bring up the fact that she owed him and that she had no real say on the matter.

"You seem unconvinced. Take me for example. I tried joining a crew for the better part of a year and no one would take me because, well, I'm small and a woman." The frustration was obvious in her voice. "They didn't even spare me second look, and the ones who did… had other expectations of me. But then I stumbled upon the Heart Pirates and the captain asked me what I was good at and why I wanted to become a pirate. He looked at me like at any other sailor longing for the sea."

"All of us feel like we belong here. And that is mostly because of our captain. He created the Heart Pirates and he decides who joins and who doesn't."

"And who is banished." They were probably referring to the last mechanic. Thesa sighed.  
"You make him sound so… noble. But what is _he_ after? What are _his_ ambitions?" The pirates gave her angry looks.

"If you truly want to join this crew and make friends here, I suggest you stop being so suspicious about the captain! Come on Micha, let's go." Scarf-guy looped his arm around the cook's and dashed away from the dining hall. There silence was deafening, until Thesa broke it.

"I want to be part of the crew. If the rest are half as nice as you have been so far, I want to be in no other place. It's just…"

"Just what?"

"He's called 'The Surgeon of Death' and I've seen his power. He could probably part all of us from our limbs and do it while laughing. It's gonna take more than a few sob stories to make me trust the guy."

"You're called 'Widowmaker'."

"And 'Breaker of men'."

"'Soulsnatcher'."

"And we've accepted you regardless."

"Besides, didn't he save that little boy you came with months ago?"

"He did…"

"See! He does that. He especially has a soft spot for kids."

Thesa wanted to contradict them, tell them that their hero of a captain only saved the boy because he had an agenda. But she couldn't bring herself to shatter the proud and happy looks on their faces. Who knew? Maybe Law was actually a nice guy… She almost burst out with laughter. Law, the friendly neighborhood pirate. Hilarious!

Her eyes found him at the table she'd always seen him sit at, the man with the dark sunglasses at his side. Could he be playing a role, too, much like she had all those years? A terrible mask of death to hide insecurities and pain? As if sensing her eyes on him, his steel-gray orbs landed on her. They stared at each other, poker faces in play, until his eyes traveled lower and a wicked smile crept on his handsome face. She shivered a bit, feeling like a lab rat under observation and somehow knew he was interested in her wiring not her boobs. She was not sure what to think about that if it were true. One on hand, it was great he was not terrified of what might come out of her metal arm. On the other hand, she was kind of sad her flesh wasn't granted as much interest. She was sick of people paying attention to only one or the other. She was both, why couldn't people see that?

Momentarily distracted by her own thoughts, Thesa only noticed Law was missing from his spot when Penguin and Ryan excused themselves. Apparently they had some sparring session to get to. That left Thesa and Nori alone with Erin. The young woman smiled sweetly at her. This was the perfect opportunity.

"Erin, can I ask you to do something for me?"

"Sure, Thesa. All you have to do is ask."

"It's not big of a deal… it's just… I'm really bad with names and…" The redhead giggled, her hand raised to cover her mouth.

"Say no more. I had a hard time remembering everyone's names when I joined. And there weren't even ten people on the crew then."

"So, you'll help me put names to the faces?"

"Sure, don't worry. I'll make sure to remind you their names until you get them."

"Thanks a lot. You're the best." Thesa smiled genuinely; one thing less to worry about. Erin waved her hand, dismissing the idea that she was actually doing anything for her. Thesa noted the faint blush on the girl's cheeks. Damn woman was a nice to a fault, the good Samaritan from all the stories you were told as a child. How ever did she end up being a pirate? She was the kind of person you found married to her childhood friend, living in the suburbs of a quiet town, with two kid by the age of 25. It kind of made Thesa wonder what was her deal. Was she ridiculously powerful? Did she get a bloodlust when in battle, completely changing her personality? Double personality? Some mental problems? Perhaps something less dramatic… family 'business'? Followed a lover?

"So, you have any plans for the day?" The redhead brought her out of her thoughts. Thesa realized she had been starring intensely at the woman besides her and felt her cheeks burning up.

"Hmm, no, umm, not really. I should probably get a better look at the engine room at some point… I was also thinking of at least trying to blend in more with the crew."

"Oh, you're finally getting a boiler suit?"

"Heavens no! I mean no offense, but I still find it ugly."

"You'll warm up to it sooner or later, just wait." What was it with that suit? Did the captain brainwash every last one of them?  
"Err, doubt it. I was actually thinking about getting a tattoo." Erin pursed her lips and watched her for a few seconds. The redhead wore her heart on her sleeves, the confusion she was feeling plainly painted on her face. "What? Something wrong with that? Do I have to earn them or something?"

"No, no. It's just odd to me that you'd do something so… permanent when you don't seem entirely convinced that joining us was a good idea." It's not like she had a choice in the matter, but now that she was here she wanted to make the most of it.

"I'd rather tattoo myself than wear that orange suit every day."

"You don't have to wear it every day. It's not glued to our skin"

"Still, a tattoo seems better somehow. I always wanted one. Plus, it won't be anything grand, just a cute, small logo."

"Well, I can take you to the infirmary, the captain is probable there." Erin must have seen Thesa pale at the mention of Law. "He's the one that usually does the tattoos. You didn't know that?"

"How was I supposed to know?"

"Oh, well, does it matter?"

"Umm, yes? No. I don't know." Did it? She really didn't feel like letting the captain anywhere near her skin. But he did seem professional to some degree.

"Come on. It will be fine. He's good at it, you won't feel a thing. And you said you wanted something small so it want take too long either."

"Ok?" Before she knew it, Erin had looped her hand around her flesh one and was leading her out of the dining hall. She head Nori let out a small growl at no one in particular. The panther had probably dozed off and was alarmed when the two of them took off without warning.

Corridor after freaking corridor, Thesa was becoming sure she needed a map of the place. She was never going to learn her way if people were always showing her around or if she backed up a hundred times before she got the way right. Sooner than she expected, Erin paused them before a door – plain metal as most of them.

"Here we are. Have fun!"

"Wait, you're not staying?" The look on the redhead's face was pure grief. It almost made Thesa feel guilty for asking, for having the nerve to put her in suck a position as to decline.

"I'm really sorry. I promised Jean I was going to help today."

"No, it's okay. Don't worry."

"Are you sure? We can come back later if you want."

"No, no, it's fine, really. I won't be alone anyway. I have Nori with me." The young woman eyed the panther. She didn't look scared, but rather contemplating.  
"You know the captain doesn't bite, yes?"

"The same cannot be said about Nori." Thesa grinned but Erin didn't seem all that amused.  
"Okay then... I'll see you later. I'll want to see the tattoo." Her demeanor quickly returned to her happy go lucky state. Waving at her as she turned and descended the stairs back the way they came. Thesa made a mental note of that for when she would leave the infirmary – take the stairs one level down. Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door.

"Yes?" She cursed a little under her breath realizing she was hoping he was not in there. She pushed the door open anyway and entered the room. He was sitting on a desk chair, his hat on the table before him besides an opened newspaper. Damn, he looked even hotter with his dark hair slightly messed up. He rolled the chair around on its wheels and his sharp eyes landed on her. She was fairly certain they sparked a bit when he saw her. Smirk in play, he leaned back in the chair that was now facing her.

"What brings you here, little mechanic?"

"So, umm, I was thinking of getting the crew's logo tattooed…and, umm, I was told I could get it done here… from you…"

"Is that so?" He chuckled, but it sounded somewhat dark and menacing in her ears. Nori, though, jumped on a bed and was resting peacefully, not a care in the world. "I get it that you like it here after all, Frey-ya?"

"Don't make me turn around and leave, please. Let's just get this done with." Law's expression got serious as he regarded her for a long while.  
"It doesn't sound like you really want one. Better if you come back when you're completely sure." He had cornered her into joining his stupid crew and now that she was actually doing something to be a part of said crew, he was sending her away?

"It's not the tattoo I have a problem with…" The smile that had vanished from his face reappeared in full force. He was infuriating! And why was he so darn cute with bed head. Did he look like that every morning? "Will you do it or not?"

"But how could I refuse? Where would you like it?"

"I was thinking on the wrist. I heard it hurts more than in other places, but I always wanted one here."

"Very well. Take a seat there." He gestured at the chair in the back of the room. She made her way to it slowly and took a seat. Her knees were shaking nervously. Was it too late to back out? But instead of making a run for it, she watched Law with interest. He had taken out a large metal box and placed it on the table besides them, then proceeded to slip white rubber gloves on his hands. Her nerves calmed a bit as she watched him do his thing, taking the tattoo machine out and setting some colors and placing a new needle. He then rolled his chair besides her and took her wrist without warning.

"H-hey!" She tried pulling her hands back but he lifted his eyes to hers with a bored expression. "Sorry. You just startled me." He went on examining her wrist and applying something on it, which was most likely sanitary alcohol. He picked up a line drawing from the box at his feet and pressed it on her skin. When the sheer paper was off, the logo was in place on her writs. Well, at least its skeleton drawing.

"Is the size alright?"

"Yeah, it's perfect." Without another word he brought the needle to her skin. His grip on her hand tightened to make sure it would stay in place. And she was glad he did, because the second he started her first instinct was to cradle her hand to her chest.

It hurt. Not so incredible bad that it would make her cower in fetal position and cry, but it was no mosquito bite either. Which was actually preferable. After the whole ordeal she would end up with more than itchy skin. Mosquitoes were the worst, in close tie with cockroaches. And pretty much all insects and some fish.

Thesa watched Law work. It was remarkable how he'd change when he was at work. His creepy demeanor would be replaced with an unwavering confidence, that was supported by skill and what she thought might be passion. He truly liked what he was doing. But why didn't that apply to his pirate status? He clearly enjoyed being a doctor, and apparently a tattooist, too. He could've chosen either profession and earned enough to make a decent living. With his Devil Fruit powers, people from all over the world would've paid good money to have him cure them. And even without his powers, talented surgeons were quite rare.

The infirmary was filled with the soft buzzing of the tattoo machine. The needle made a quick motion of up and down, filling the small logo with black ink. It was mesmerizing to Thesa. At half way through the tattoo the pain didn't bother her so much. It didn't hurt any less, but she got used to it partially. But more fascinating than the expanding pitch-black ink was the captain. He was so focused, so dedicated to the task at hand. He made no attempt of questioning her about her 'condition', nor did he even lift his eyes to seek her metal appendage. It reminded her of the day he stitched her shoulder wound. Why was he so irresistible in moments like those? Maybe because it was somewhat akin to seeing a veiled part of him, a face he didn't usually wore, but didn't exactly hide either. A piece of his soul, poured into the things that he was passionate about. It made him look like a real person, not some pirate-monster the marines made up to scare the masses. 'Surgeon of Death' they dubbed him, but he looked nothing like a killer.

He would gently wipe her skin from time to time, removing the excessive ink from the logo tattoo. Once it was clear she wasn't going to move away, his grip on her hand had loosened, barely a touch. Thesa wished in a moment of weakness for the white gloves to disappear, for his skin to be on hers, gently caressing.

"All done." She almost jumped out of the chair. Law eyed her suspiciously, but, entirely out of character, said nothing on the matter. He cleaned her skin and wrapped her wrist in fresh bandages. "You have to come back tomorrow so I can change those."

"Yeah, of course." She got out of the chair and thanked all the sea gods her legs were not as wobbly as they felt. She watched him throw away the gloves and needle and place the tattoo kit back in its box. He was being odd. No creepy smile, no weird sparkle in his eyes, not even a mention about her being a cyborg. She was starring at the back of his head, wondering if she should push her luck and ask, or just walk out, when he broke the silence.

"You need anything else?"

"Well, since you asked, I was curious where are we headed to, captain?"

"Marine HQ."

"WHAT?" He was making fun of her. Right? Law gestured for her to come closer and slid the newspaper to his right so she'd get a better view of it. The main page showed a picture of Ace. He was to be executed in a couple of days. Such a bold move for the navy to bring forth the wrath of the Whitebeard Pirates. She wouldn't have cared much for the news, though, if the person being executed was some other pirate. "Oh, no…"

"You know Fire Fist?"

"'Know' if a bit of a stretch, but he helped be once. Nori had an injured paw so I went alone. I ended being ganged up by some brutes. One moment I was waiting for them to start beating me, the next they were scorched on the ground. We spent the night drinking and breaking things." Thesa smiled at the memory. She never crossed paths with Ace again, but that one time was more than enough to tell her he was a decent guy. He had saved her without knowing who she was, that alone was remarkable seeing as how most people would've just seen to their own business. He asked nothing in return afterwards which was another kind of noble. Then, even drunk, he made no passes at her. No ridiculous pick-up lines, no flirting. Just two people enjoying the rum and the sound of breaking glass. All in all, Thesa was sure there were worst pirates out there the marine could've used to set an example for the rest. Because a public execution was just that – a warning, a reminder to the pirates that they were being hunted down.

"Well, either way, we're going there to help." Law's deep voice made her eyes leave Ace's picture from the paper. She looked at the captain for a long moment, brown furrowing just slightly. What was Law's end game?

"Why are you helping him? I didn't think you were allies with Whitebeard…"

"We're not."

"Then… _why_?"

"It may help my plans… on the long run."

She stared at him, long and good as he took the paper away from her folded it. He was handsome, there was no news to that, but she realized he was also somewhat broken. He would smile, but his eyes would remain hollow. What was so important that he wanted to achieve? Surely he was not after the mythical One Piece, like most of the pirates. Whatever it was he desired, it was becoming clearer and clearer he was willing to wade slaughter.

"Everything is about meeting your goal with you, isn't it?"

"It's more of a promise than a goal, but yes. I've sworn to do it and I will."

* * *

It's pass 4 am... I ain't ding no spell check... *snooze*

Ah, about wade slaughter ... I find it as translation for a saying in my language, but when I try searching for an explanation of the actual wade slaughter ... Google comes up with nothing. It's supposed to mean unscrupulous in reaching one's goal. Can anyone tell me if that is the actual English saying? Or if I used it right? Because all Google gives me is profiles, probably phony ones, of people called Wade Slaughter... *sweat drop*

Anyhows... hope you guys still like this story. [ I feel like there was something else I wanted to mention... *falls asleep on keyboard* ]

*hugs & cookies for everyone*


	7. Chapter 7

Hmm, excuse my tardiness, I'm a chief procrastinator.

Thank you all for the favs/ follows/ reviews *kisses & cookies*

 _Hope you enjoy!_

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"She always had that about her, that look of otherness, of eyes that see things much too far, and of thoughts that wander off the edges of the world."

\- Joanne Harris

* * *

She was white from head to toe: white pants and a long sleeved blouse, hair a pale blond, pulled back in a braid and eyes so blue you could've misses the color in them. Long fingers were sticking out of white leather gloves and presented nails carefully painted in the same pale hue. It was eerie to say the least. It also created a clear contrast between the woman and the panther trailing her like a shadow.

Law thought he was used to her continuously changing her hair and eyes, but this was just a bit ridiculous. Her skin also had a glow to it; she must have powdered it with something. All in all, she looked like a ghost, her mood suiting her appearance. Well, he guessed the dying young pirate on the operating table was not the most pleasing sight, nor was the fiasco at the marine headquarters. Still, she seemed a bit too affected by the deaths of pirates and marines she had no affiliations to.

Thesa was sitting in her chair, waiting for him to change the bandage from her tattoo, stealing glances occasionally at the Straw Hat captain. Her pet was calmly licking a giant paw at the woman's feet. It would be the last bandage he'd have to remove, as the tender skin was fully healed. If he were completely true to himself, he shouldn't have placed the last one either. But for some reason beyond comprehension he wanted a plausible motive to bring her back in the infirmary. Her shoulder wound would need the stitches removed soon, but other than that she had no real reason, nor desire, from what he had gathered, to seek him out. He quite enjoyed their alone time, teasing her and getting to know the woman better. She was rather fun when her guard fell, though he only got a few glimpses of the person behind it, as she usually regarded him with scrutiny.

He was brought back from his thoughts by a loud grunt from the other patient. "Knight of the Sea" Jinbei was resting on a bed near the Straw Hat. He let out another whimper then went back to his restless sleep. Jinbei's condition was bad but stable for the moment, nowhere near Straw Hat's. Law's eyes trailed back to the woman. Big, curious eyes went back and forth between the two unconscious men, but always seemed to linger more on the young captain. Why was she so concerned about him? Was it even concern? Surely she was not squeamish when it came to blood and death: she's been the cause of it so many times if even half the rumors were true. So why then did she carry such sadness in those unearthly pale eyes?

She didn't even notice him as he rolled his chair closer to her, only turning to face him when he took hold of her hand. She seemed to come out of deep thoughts. It bugged Law. Somewhere in the back on his mind, something was tugging at him, making him question all her expressions and gestured. He unwrapped the bandage and examined the tattoo, tracing his thumb across the back lines of his logo. She was marked, part of _his_ crew. The thought gave him a weird surge of power, of confidence, and a smirk came to his lips.

"What?" She asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing. Well, she had all the right to question him, seeing as his intentions were less than… noble. What would it take for her to let him examine her other hand? Law had convinced himself that his curiosity regarding the cyborg was purely professional. _As a doctor_ it was interesting to think about the possibilities and how he could use his Devi Fruit power. Could he attach a mechanical hand to a person using his power or was more required? _As a captain_ it was only natural to know your subordinates, and an ex-mercenary clearly needed to be watched. No way to know where her true allegiance lay, even if she was now branded as one of his. His inquest was only natural, he was protecting his crew and his ultimate goal.

"It healed up nicely."

"I was expecting nothing else; you checked on it daily." She scoffed, pulling her wrist from his grasp.

"And your shoulder?"

"It's fine, I guess." Her head fell, and she exhaled loudly. There it was again, that sadness that plagued his little mechanic since the Battle of Marineford. Was she actually bothered by the death of Fire Fist? Had something more transpire between them that night she had mentioned, years ago? She hadn't been that heartbroken when she found out about his imprisonment, sad yes, but not this hollow.

But he had to focus on the thing at hand: Straw Hat dying on his operating table. The boy let out a scream, the machines keeping him alive let out screeching sounds, alerting him of the changes in his condition. In seconds he was by his bed, one of his rooms encompassing his body. The young captain was battling for his life and Law was not going to let him lose the fight. He fixed all the open wounds, but his muscles were strained beyond their capacity. He would need time. Time and resolve. Law sighed as he realized it might not be entirely up to him to save Straw Hat.

"Is he going to be… Is he going to live?" Her voice was faint, her eyes empty as she watched the young captain. Law's eyes narrowed as he looked up at the woman.

"Perhaps."

"Perhaps? You don't know?" Her own uncanny eyes narrowed, her hands wrapping defensively in front of her.

"What is it you if he lives or dies?"

"Nothing! What is it to you?"

"Hmm." Monkey _D_. Luffy. He was another car he was betting on. He could use the boy when the time would be right.

"That's it? 'Hmm'? What is that supposed to mean?"

"That's none of your concern now, is it?" His voice might have dipped with too much venom, but she was annoying him. Why so interested in the Straw Hat's fate?

"He clearly-" She didn't get to continue as Jinbei interrupted her with another groan. Thesa closed her mouth as Law strode to the Fishman's bed. He was beaten, too. But his life wasn't hanging by a thread. He'd make full recovery sooner than later.

"Bring me that roll over there." Law ordered her without lifting his eyes from the injured forearm. She complied, as he suspected she would. "Hold here." She came around the bed and placed her hand on the unconscious pirate's arm as Law worked on his opened stitches, then applying fresh bandages over the wound.

"How can you be so gently and yet so cruel?"

"Cruel?" He couldn't help the smile forming on his lips. She had no idea what 'cruel' stood for.

"You care for your patients, treat their wounds. But it's for a different motive, isn't it? You want them to _owe_ you, like you did with me."

"And you find that cruel, little pirate?" His intention was no to mock her, but who was she to judge him? "You think me a monster for giving and then expecting to be given back? It is more than you ever granted your targets." He was expecting her to be angry, furious. To explode with insults his way. Maybe even try to hit him. He did not expect the surrender in her voice.

"You're right. I suppose I'm the only monster here." She smiled, but something shattered behind her bizarre eyes. Where they synthetic also? Was that how she changed their color? That meant the hair had to be too. And probably a part of her head? "I'll go now, if you're done with me." _But, oh, he hadn't even begun._

"You're very affected by the Straw Hat's condition, Frey-ya." It was not a question. A blind person could sense her distress. The question came after. "Why?" Thesa pursed her lips as she gazed back, past Law's shoulder, at the injured boy.

"That's for me to know and for you to wonder, captain." There was a glimpse of playfulness in her voice. Law would have insisted on an answer, would have been insulted by her evasive response. If it wouldn't have been clear to him she was trying to mask some deep pain. It only fueled his curiosity, but decided it could wait. Maybe get her to truest him first. Or at least distrust him a little less.

He dismissed her with a disapproving shake of his head and returned to check on his patients one last time before he retreated for the night. He watched from the corner of his eyes as she waltzed out the door, pet at her heels. When the door closed he felt his muscles relaxing. He noticed some time ago the tension that took over his body when she was near. Instincts, surely. The crazy broad tried to kill him, though he suspected she wouldn't have actually gone through with it. But better to be safe than sorry.

Routine check up on the unconscious pirates done, he left for his quarters. He wanted nothing more than to hit the covers of his bed as soon as he entered his room, but as tired as he was, he was in dire need of a shower. He was somewhat conscious of the dried blood on his cheek and neck. Besides, he should take advantage of the privileges of being captain: his own bathroom, adjacent to his room.

He dreaded the shower. It was the place where his mind would run wild. As hot water poured on him, washing the blood and sweat away, his thoughts returned to the cyborg. ' _That's for me to know and for you to wonder_ '. And he did wonder. His first guess was that her mood wasn't entirely related to the Straw Hat, but rather to herself. Perhaps she was reminded of someone she cared for and lost. His second guess was that she was mourning Fire Fist, and as the pirates at Marineford were chanting, Luffy was Ace's legacy, all that he was leaving behind. Law was certain Thesa didn't know the young captain before the incident on Sabaody Archipelago, so it was unreasonable to think she was so distraught by his misfortunate fate. Fire Fist on the other hand, she had confirmed to knowing. But why did he care is she was depressed? He hated the stupid shower. He draped some random pants and t-shirt over his body and left the bathroom.

He reached his bed and was greeted by the silky covers and soft pillows. As tired as he was from staying awake the previous night to take care of his patience, he fell into a restless sleep, waking up countless times during the night and not managing to fall asleep immediately after. He would stare at the ceiling, a cool blue glow on it from the small round window. He needed a glass of water.

The corridors had that same cold appearance, despite the constant hear raging trough the radiators. Bepo hated them and in that particular moment Law did, too. He wished it was just a little cooler, maybe just to make the warmth of his bed all the more appealing. He entered the kitchen, unaware of the eyes following him. He almost threw the water at her hear when she spoke, still not completely familiar with her voice.

"Taking a night stroll, cap?" He turned around and furrowed his brows. There weren't many who could creep up to him, but then again, he was exhausted and dizzy from his short sleep sessions. Her face was glowing faintly in the poorly lit room, cladded in the same white grab she chose for the day. She was really embracing the whole ghost persona.

"I could ask you the same thing, little mechanic?"

"I was thirsty." She lifted the half empty glass in front of her as to make her point.

"Same." He mimicked her action with his full glass and looked at her in the dim light. She clearly didn't go to bed, the clothes she still wore serving as proof. "Why are you awake in the middle of the night?" He had no idea what the time actually was; probably closer to morning since there was no soul awake on the ship besides them. Not even the oversized cat that was always near her. Though with the darkness it was hard to tell, it could be hiding in corner, ready to pounce on unsuspecting pirates.

"I couldn't sleep." Law sipped from is glass patiently. He was not planning to leave until he got at least a glimmer of an answer. "Am I forbidden to stalk the halls at night?" Her tone was meant to be light and funny, but it lost some of the effect when her voice trailed at the end.

"Is it something you do regularly?"

"No, but-"

"Then what are you doing here? You've been like this ever since we left Marineford. Have you even checked the engine room since I've appointed you as the crew's mechanic?" He knew she did, Shachi complained about her disturbing his work there but he hated seeing her like that: gloomy and depressed. It contrasted her usual sarcastic and annoying personality.

"I… I've been doing my work as a mechanic if that's what you're mad about. I'll need some replacement parts-"

"What got you so depressed? Is it Straw Hat-ya?" He refrained from mentioning the young captain's dead brother.

"I guess he has a part in it…" Law was not going to ask why again. He just stood there, a few paces away, in the partially dark kitchen, glaring daggers at her. Though he supposed she couldn't see. He had having hard time picturing her features, and she was as white as snow. She lifted her head and looked his way for the first time, as if sensing his gaze. She sighed in defeat and continued, not. "He reminded me of myself. That screaming sobbing shell is what I pictured I looked like when I was pulled out of the fire and found out my family was gone."

He'd lie if he said he was entirely surprised. He guessed she must have lost someone close. What peaked his interest was that she was 'pulled out of the fire'. His curiosity returned tenfold. Was this elusive fire the reason she had to get metal appendages? He took a step forward, but she stopped him.

"I'd really like to be alone… If it's all the same to you, captain."

It was most certainly not. But he felt the strain in his muscles; his eyelids begging to close. He placed his glass on the counter, water still filling most of its contents. His eyes lingered on her, unsure if he should persist with question or leave it all for tomorrow. He hated leaving things for another day. His entire revenge was taking too long, why prolonged other things too? A yawn finally convinced him to leave the woman without addressing her another word. He passes the door's threshold and stood there for the briefest moment, before turning back. His unspoken question was answered by the sight before him.

As Thesa was sulking on the kitchen stool, she lifted her leg and pushed the pant leg up. Law's eyes widen when he saw her left ankle was covered in steel. She caressed the paneling, feeling for something, then pulled a screwdriver from a metal finger and twisted it in a few places along her calf. She rotated the foot as if to see if it improved. As she was adjusting her pant back he took a few steps back, dazzled by the new information coursing through his brain. She had a mechanical leg! Was it just the one? Did it end at the knee? At the thigh? Did it reach up her abdomen?

He turned to go back to his room and process things better, make a plan how to get the young woman to let him test a few theories that were forming in his head. Get her t answer some of the burning questions that plagued him. Lost in thought he didn't notice Cara was in front of him, arms folded. He really needed some rest, people were creeping up to him without his knowledge. Her cold gaze sized him and her gaze sharpened. He stared back at her, not in the mood for her antics. She let out an exasperated sigh and stormed past him towards the kitchen. The words she muttered got him thinking the rest of the night, until daybreak lulled him in a dreamless sleep.

"Don't break her heart, will you?"

* * *

 **Sooo... Thoughts?**

I don't know why it was so incredibly hard to write from Law's perspective. It's usually the other way around [ harder to write OC... ]. But, eh, what do you guys think so far?


	8. Chapter 8

_Hope you enjoy!_

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"We're all broken, that's how the light gets in."

\- Ernest Hemingway

* * *

Sad was an understatement, but she wasn't exactly depressed either. She felt alone mostly. Or was it lonely? There was a difference between the two, surely. But she wasn't exactly lonely either, she made friends: Erin and Penguin mainly, and she could always count on having Nori. But she wanted… more? She was making no sense, thoughts jumbled and random. Maybe she _was_ depressed. Just not as severely as some other people. But wasn't that normal? People feel things differently, so naturally, they would get depressed in their own particular ways. Her 'depressed' was bordering on this weird feeling of being alone in the world. People die alone, and so will she. And she wouldn't really want it any other way, would she? Why drag anyone else to death? Death. The black letters spelled in her head on the captain's tanned fingers. A different pair of fingers snapped in front of her face and brought her out of her rambling mind.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Cara was standing in all her glorious beauty before her. When had the lights been turned on in the kitchen?

"Huh?" The blonde wrinkled her nose in disgust as her baby blues sized Thesa up and down. Hands on her hips, the woman lowered her head to her level and whispered, voice dripping with repugnance. What was her problem?

"Are you that desperate to get attention?" Was Cara complaining about her clothes when she was clearly the one begging for eyes to turn her way? She wore the custom boiler suit, but the top part was hanging behind her suspended from a belt, revealing a low cut skin tight shirt. Or maybe it was a bodysuit. Thesa couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the woman's hypocrisy.

"No. Wh-"

"Oh, please. If you think playing the victim is going to work on the captain you're a long way coming." Cara pulled at her hair a bit, dragging her face closer to her porcelain one. "Tears will get you nowhere, little mechanic. Not with him." Thesa didn't realize the tears on her cheeks were still wet until then. But what the actual heck was the blonde bimbo implying? That she'd been weeping to get Trafalgar's attention? He hadn't even… _He_ _barely_ _crossed her mind!_ And that was probably because he pestered her mere hours ago. If Thesa wasn't feeling so low, she would've been more aggressive towards the accusations. Instead she just brushed the woman off.

"Think what you may. I really couldn't give a damn." She sighed and pushed the pale hand out of her hair. Cara folded her arms, eyes still glaring daggers at her as she exited the kitchen.

Thesa was tired. But she couldn't sleep. Well, if she tried, she would easily fall into dreamland. The problem? She didn't particularly enjoy the things she would doubtlessly dream. The same plaguing memory started playing in her head as soon as he closed her eyes: her home in flames and the vivid sound of burning flesh that would ring in her ears for hours after she awoke. So, instead of going to bed, she made her way to the engine room. Keeping busy was one of her favorite ways of not dealing with imminent problems. Not that she had a problem, she was _fine_.

She got lost several times, but she wasn't exactly paying attention to her surroundings either. Spacing out wasn't helping very much, but it wasn't a ting she could control. After maybe 20 minutes of aimlessly wandering the halls and nodding her head to the few pirates she met, the door to the engine room finally appeared in front of her. She pulled it up and was annoyed to see Sunglasses already there. What was his name? Hachi?

"What do you want, woman?"

"Do my job? I'm the mechanic in case you forgot."

"There's nothing for you to do right now, so scurry away." She scoffed. Nothing to do? The place was a mess! The submarine was in good condition, she wasn't saying it wasn't. But there was no order to it: wired mixes together, plugs jumbled in inappropriate sockets and tools laying around randomly. It something did break in there, there was no way of finding the problem, not to mention the tools required to fix it. She was 100% sure the guy couldn't get her a screw if she asked for one.

"I'd appreciate it if you left and let me work." She didn't wait for his consent. She just started sorting though the piles, back towards the insufferable pirate. He may even be more obnoxious than the creepy captain and that meant a lot.

"And leave the fate of the submarine in your hands? I don't think so."

"I'm good at what I do, so don't worry."

"Oh, I was not implying you are… incapable. I just don't trust you." That made her turn to face him, brows furrowed in disbelief. Not that he was not trusting her, that he would think she would intentionally sabotage the vessel they were on, leagues below surface. There were escape pods, she saw them a few days back, but she was fairly certain she's be dead before she could even think of boarding one.

"I'm on the freaking submarine. Wouldn't damaging it place me in danger also?"

"Better safe than sorry. What are you doing there?" Thesa lacked the strength to fight him. She felt drained. So she just explained to him how the different modifications she made helped with the flow of the current and the fuel reduction. Of course he had to question and counter her every suggestion. But she just inhaled and done things her way. At some point she just agreed with him, but did her thing anyway. Sunglasses didn't seem to notice. If he did, he was too proud to admit that she had been right: the engine's heat level decreased considerately.

Thesa loved tinkering. She enjoyed the simplicity of it, the lack of feeling it required. It was pure logic and physics. Things either worked or didn't. Fixing things usually gave her a peace of mind, a clarity of thoughts, she couldn't acquire otherwise. But she found herself more tired than ever, having to constantly explain the reasoning behind every move to the hard-head looming over her shoulder. It was also frustrating she couldn't use the tolls in her hand and had to keep looking for different sized wrenches every five minutes. She let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her shoulders. Her muscles were sore; she felt as if she tumbled done several flights of stairs. When she stood up to leave, the pirate protested.

"Where are you going?" She turned and eyed him carefully.

"Why?"

"You said you were going to upgrade the fueling system, give us speed." Well, he'd been listening to her, but apparently only to half of it.

"Yes, but for that the power has to be shut down for a little while. We'd have to surface, even if just to be safe." Powering down for a couple of minutes wasn't that dangerous. But what if the power didn't start back up? Or if she messed up other systems in the process like the life support or the engines? The scrubber would stop removing carbon dioxide and adding oxygen and they'd run out of air in a matter of hours. That if the pressure from sinking too deep wouldn't crush the walls of the submarine and they'd drown instead of just suffocate.

"Well, you're in luck. We should be arriving on Amazon Lily any minute now." Only one thought came to mind. Fresh air! It might help with her _mild case of depression_.

"Uh, cool. I'll still take a break, though. See ya!" She bolted trough the door before he'd complain. The guy should make up his mind: first he wants her nowhere near the hardware, then he almost doesn't let her leave.

Thesa felt the slow ascent of the submarine as she tried to remember where her room was. She wouldn't have if she weren't aware they were harboring soon and was looking for a tell. Amazon Lily. She had a vague idea of what the island was supposed to be, or rather of who was said populated it: beautiful warrior women. Only! An island filled with dames… what a nightmare, imagine all the cat fights.

She found her room with relative ease, due to the fact she only had to climb one flight of stairs and turn left once. She was greeted by her trustworthy companion with a purr. Thesa petted her for a few minutes, already feeling a little better. She was definitely not even depressed; she just missed her furry friend with deathly razor sharp fangs.

It was probably a good idea to take a shower and change clothes. But the submarine surfaced with a little jolt and she decided to explore the island first, get a glimpse of those amazons men fascinate about. Nori behind her, she followed the crew outside. The pirates were all excited, the men more than the women. Thesa couldn't help roll her eyes. Men! She swore they were all the same.

Feeling the sun on her powdered skin after so much time below surface was a nice. Extremely nice. She had the sudden urge to sunbathe and go for a swim, the water calling to her with every ebb and flow.

The captain was talking with a woman, and Thesa finally noticed several more flanking her. He amazons did not disappoint, she had to admit. They were exactly how she had pictured them: beautiful and barely dressed. Also appeared to be quite the fighters, muscles tight beneath their tanned skin. She didn't pay attention to the conversation, she was wondering if taking one shoe off and felling the sand between her fingers would feel as good as it sounded in her mind. Best not freak everyone with her random actions.

The women organized quickly, bringing food to the pirates and building a little perimeter for them not to cross. Apparently men were not allowed on their island. The only reason they were allowed to stay on the beach was Straw Hat. The crew lounged around and gawked at the women, while the captain went back inside, probably to check in his patients. At some point the Fishman woke up and joined the men outside. No one approached her, not even Erin, and she was thankful for that. She liked being alone. Maybe because for so long I had been just her and Nori and all of a sudden she was part of a crew. She remembered starving for a conversation, for someone to tell things and listen to. She could have all that now, but somehow she felt like she wasn't ready.

Thesa strolled around, passing the little wall that kept the men near the submarine. She was not restricted to it, or so she hoped. She made her way through the jungle, not really paying attention to where she was heading. She must have sighed a hundred times during her little trek. The jungle was, well, green. She never was an outdoors person, but perhaps it was because her home was a frozen wasteland. The fun happened indoors.

Home.

She felt the tears burning in the back of her eyes. No, she was over that, it happened so long ago. No more tears, she'd shed them all long ago. But with all her protests, she broke down in a sobbing mess, dropping on the cool ground and resting her back against a boulder. Nori brushed her head against her leg and sat there with her, letting a strangled sound out of her throat.

She missed it. Not the place that he used to call 'home', but the feeling, the family that loved her unconditionally, the warmth and acceptance, the security. How long had it been since she lost everything? 12? 13 years? A lifetime ago! She could barely remember their faces. They'd look different now anyway, if death hadn't taken them away.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The captain was leaning against a tree, hands folded, eyes glaring daggers at her. What was his problem? And how long had he been staring like a complete freak?

"You're not supposed to be here." She brushed the tears away, but more kept streaming down her cheeks. At least she wasn't subbing anymore.

"I'm sure they won't mind me as long as I don't bother one of theirs."

"Oh, but you can pester _me_?"

"I'm your captain." For a second there she thought he was going to say something obnoxious like _'I own you'_. It sounded like something he'd say. Damn bastard was probably thinking it anyway.

"Well, I still don't feel like talking about it."

"Okay. Something else then." He pushed himself off the tree and took a few steps closer, crouching right in front of her. "I noticed a particularly interesting thing about your leg. Care to expand that thought." Pursing her lips, she pondered on the idea of telling him more about herself.

On one hand she thought he should know. Not only was he her captain, but also a surgeon. He might need to know the details about her body. On the other hand, she was sure he wouldn't look at her the same. He already watched her with suspicious eyes wherever she went. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her as 'less than human', She heard those words so many times, she wasn't sure how many more she could take.

"Okay. You got me; my left foot is also mechanic." He lifted an eyebrow and his lips turned into that infuriating smirk of his. She wanted to punch it right off his gorgeous face.

"Is that all?"

"Not really, no." She eyed him. He was a strange man. His gaze never left her, watching her every reaction. It made her self-conscious and she pulled her knees closer to her chest. "My eyes and hair are synthetic. Tough you probably figured that out." He confirmed it with a nod, the amusement never leaving his smile.

"Anything else?"

"A lung." She saw his eyes slightly widening at the information. She knew she should've stopped there, not freak him completely, but she didn't. The words just kept pouring out of her mouth, disregarding the voice in her head that screamed at her to stop. "It's all connected to the brain trough small wires that run along the bones. It's how I can use everything in perfect sync with my thoughts and instincts."

It was silent for a few minutes. Thesa saw the gears turning in his head, but it was not disgust that showed in his eyes. He was genuinely curious. Either from a medical point of view or simply because he wanted to know his crew; she didn't know which it was. But she welcomed it. It was a change from the usual shaming she got from the outside world.

"I get the hair and eyes. But what's with the face and clothes?"

"Oh, it's just regular makeup." He frowned. Oh, he probably wanted to know _why_ she did it, not _how_. "I had four older sisters. We used to play dress up, masking ourselves as different characters… I guess I just never stopped." She didn't know if she wanted to smile at the joyful memory or cry again at the loss, at the hollowness in her heart.

"Had?"

"Yes. They're dead. All of them. My parents had a lab at home. Something must have gone wrong because one moment we were playing and the next there was smoke everywhere."

"I'm sorry…"

"I passed out. The next thing I remember was wakening on the operating table, metal joined with flesh. Actually, about 21% of my body is made of metals, wires and silicon." He looked surprised and she almost smirked at the small achievement. "I thought you were curious."

"I always thought I'd have to ask."

"You did, in a way" She sighed and petted Nori's head. "I come from Karakuri Island. Cyborgs are not so rare there."

"Are they also relentless killers?" Ouch, that stung.

"No. Just me I think. People don't usually leave the island."

"Why you, then?"

"I had to. How was to stay there when everything reminded me of what I once had, what I had no more?"

"So you just packed and left?"

"Hell no! I was nine." She didn't look at his face; didn't want to see the pity in his eyes. "I spent six years feeling miserable, learning about my new body. When I though there was nothing left to discover, then I packed my things and made my way off that blasted island." Trafalgar was looking at him suspiciously, trying to sort out her story.

"And the seastone? Was that an addition you woke up with or added later?"

"Oh, this happened only a couple of years ago. I was already infamous. Where do you think I got all the money?"

"I was curious about that, too. How did you become a mercenary?" It was a legit question. Her first line of work was definitely not one in which she had to kill people for a living.

"It happened only five years ago, two years after I left home. It had been so hard up until then, just scraping enough food for the day was nearly impossible. I couldn't even become a whore. I _tried_! People were just too scared of me and I had no money to travel to another place. It didn't help that I was trailed by Nori everywhere I went." She sighed, smiling sadly at the memory. "One day, a man came up to the alley I was hovering in with Nori. He was close to shitting himself at the sight of me, though really, I was less than a street urchin. He proposed I do him a favor and he'd give me enough money to feed myself and buy medicine for Nori. Oh, yes, she had twisted her back paw. I was close to murdering someone for medicine anyway, so I accepted." She paused a second, reliving the moment she first pulled that trigger. "It was… so easy."

The silence hovering over them was not awkward. It held understanding. He knew how frail life was, how fast a soul left the body. One second you're laughing with a person, the next you're starting in the cold, lifeless eyes.

Still, somehow, she was still alive. How unfair this life was. She was a murderer, someone no one would ever miss. Some may even cheer at her death. Yet, she still walked the earth wreaking havoc, while good people hit the bucket. People like her parents and sisters. Like some of her very victims. Like Ace. While she knew _her captain_ understood the fragility of human life, she doubted he left like he was somehow unworthy of every breath he took.

She didn't know what demon had possessed her to spill her life story to him. She was thinking of telling Erin some of it, but Law? It may have been the timing he picked to question her, of the fact that he struck her like different. Different from the rest of the world, but perhaps similar to herself. It was foolish hope, but it didn't change the fact that she longed for someone to understand and accept her as she was: a not completely human killer.

"The offers kept coming after that So did the stories. It's really beyond my comprehension how people can spin so many stories."

"None of them are true?"

"Eh, some, maybe. I don't know them all. I obviously don't steal souls and don't eat newborns. So… yeah. It was pretty dark for a while, I guess… I was angry at the world for not even giving me a chance. Angry at my family that abandoned be, though I see how it wasn't really their idea. I was furious I was still alive when they were not. But, I had my lucky moment after that. Law of averages maybe. I met some great people, Ray-san and Ace. I decided there was more to my miserable life. I decided I wanted to start living."

It was a sad excuse to keep going. One she used mostly for herself, a reason to wake up every morning. Because, in truth, she hadn't changed much, she had been killing people up until the moment Law took her aboard his yellow submarine. The only thing she did change was the people she murdered: no more innocents. When the captain spoke she almost jumped out or her skin; his voice startling her as much as the meaning behind his words.

"You realize I could replace every metal part with flesh, right?" Her eyes must have enlarged quite a bit as they landed on his calm face. A breath cough in her throat. She could hear the frantic beatings of her heart, hammering against her ribcage. "You'd only have to ask."

"But, you'd need… to get the parts from somewhere…"

"From _someone_ , yes. I suspect it wouldn't be too hard." There was something dark in his eyes, the smile completely gone. The idea didn't please him too much. And if she was completely true to herself, it didn't sound too good to her either. She touched her metal hand with her flesh one, the synthetic skin barely distinguishable from the real deal. As much as she hated the lifeless prosthetics, they were a link to her past. The only thing she had to remind her where she came from.

"Can I… think about it?"

"The offer stands for as long as you want." If she knew any better, she'd think he looked almost relived. Surely crippling a woman to harvest a hand and leg didn't distress him so bad; she saw how she treated the marines at the auction house, how he jumbled and plaid with their bodies. She couldn't deny, though, that it was really generous of him to offer her such a thing. Thesa saw him in a slightly different light. Maybe the crew was onto something when they said he was a great man. They stood there, eyes locked for a few minutes, but she wasn't exactly looking at him. She was lost in thoughts. What has his life story? Where did he start from and how rough had been his journey? Why pirate? What were his plans for the future?

"We should head back, Thesa." Oh, how nice her name rolled off his tongue. Wait, he said something to her, she should answer.

"Umm, yes. We don't want the amazons finding you trespassing." He smiled at her stupid attempt of a joke and extended a hand to her. She took it without a second thought, the grip on her fingers like an anchor. She dusted her white pants and walked besides the captain, Nori between them.

"Another random fact about me: chocolate is like fuel – it gives me a surge of power in the metal limbs, makes them seem lighter." Thesa mentally slapped herself as her cheeks started burning. Way to go, Thesa! Weird the guy out till the very end!

* * *

 **A/N:** In case you thought otherwise, let me specify one thing - I have no clue about mechanics. If the things you read may seem random and unrealistic, it's probably because they are. I do a little research [ All hail Google! ] before I write, but if I do mess something up, please let me know. I myself get annoyed when people write dumb shit in fiction [ like that one time the OC was supposed to be a fighter/ boxer something... and she held her thumb 'the right way', inside her fist… yeah, do that… IF YOU WANNA BREAK IT! ]

 **Anyways** , there's gonna be a lot more Law from here out. Let me know what you think so far.

*hugs*


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